New Generation
by Cody the Impaler
Summary: This story centers around the children of Adrian and Maria Lysander and Alcander. And the adventures they have with women, drugs, and adventure.
1. post Dracula's defeat cira 1807

Greetings to all who have chosen to read my story.  Any questions or comments should be addressed to me via email: cody.hayes@sbcglobal.net 

New Generation

Chapter I

_Now God be thanked that all has not been in vain!  
See!  The snow is not more stainless than her forehead!  
The curse has passed away!_-

Dracula-Bram Stoker (1897)

     The night air in the Romanian province of Wallachia was informing its citizens that winter was still here, but a warm fire inside the Tepes residence made everything bright and cheery.  Tonight was the first complete day that Adrian Tepes spent with his family since his return home after slaying the beast known as Dracula.

     From within the walls of the sitting room Adrian Tepes and Richter Belmont shared a glass of wine and discussed local politics until Adrian's eyes turned away from his brother-in-law to Gabriel Potter, a young Austrian man, who assisted Adrian in his battle with Vlad the Implaer; and his young son, Alcander.

     Gabriel extended his hand and motioned Alcander to slap his palm into Gabriel's, but when the blonde headed two-year-old attempted to slap his tiny hand into Gabriel's, Gabriel quickly pulled his hand away.  Alcander missed the slap, and Gabriel responded by tickling the child's tummy, making him squeal in laughter.

     "Tell me Gabriel," Adrian began, as he lifted Alcander from the floor; "would you rather spend your time tickling my two-year-old son, or a twenty-year-old Romanian girl?"

     "Well, lets think about that for a minute," Gabriel began with a grin.  "I think that a nice young Romanian woman would sound pretty good right now."

     "That's what I wanted to hear!" Adrian replied with a smile.  "I'll tell you what.  I think I'm going to give you some money so you and Ambrose (a young Italian that was also an assistance to Adrian in his battle with Dracula) can enjoy some of the night life in our town."

     "Really!?  You'd give us money?!"

     "Of course, I would.  You two were a major help to Richter and I; why wouldn't I give you some money to enjoy the evening?"

     "Thanks Adrian," Gabriel said returning the smile.

     "Think nothing of it.  It's the least I could do for you."  Using his free hand, Adrian grabbed some money from his pocket and placed it in Gabriel's hand.  Gabriel charged from the sitting room to the guest room that Adrian and Maria had prepared for him to change clothes, while Adrian returned his attention to his brother-in-law.  "Come Richter, lets sit down on the couch."  The two men reclined on the sofa near the family fireplace, with Alcander attempting to struggle off his father's lap and toddle down the hallway after Gabriel.  Adrian responded to his son's struggles by tickling him.  "No, Cander," Adrian began lovingly, "Gabriel needs to prepare for his evening tonight, so you can sit with Daddy for a while."  Alcander squealed until he became too tired to laugh anymore, choosing instead to cuddle up against his father's chest.  Adrian smiled at his youngest son, and stroked his blonde hair while he started to purr, a trait that Alcander and his older brother, Lysander, inherited from their father-the ability to purr when you're happy.

     Richter smiled at the attention Adrian gave to his young son.  "I can't wait to go home and treat Sidra the way you're treating Alcander.  I'm officially done with adventuring.  I'm never leaving home again!"

     "So you're already training Christian, huh?"

     "Yes.  In case the Monster was to rise again Christian will be ready to face him."

     "I don't think you have anything to worry about, Belmont.  Dracula is dead, and is never coming back."

     "So we've heard before, yet it does not always hold true.  Besides, even if Dracula was never to return Christian is receiving plenty of discipline with his training."

     "Hmm…" Adrian began.

     "What is it Tepes?"

     "I was thinking that maybe my two children could use the same kind of training."

     "Well, maybe Lysander," Richter started, "but I don't think that Alcander would be ready until you can get him away from his baby bottle."

     "No, he wouldn't.  But, I don't want them to be trained separately.  I want them to be trained at the same time.  I mean, I don't think that my father will ever come back, but that doesn't matter.  Lysander and Alcander could both use some good discipline when they get older.  It would make them both mentally and physically tougher.  I'd like to start training them…perhaps when Cander's about five, which would make Sander about seven.  I think those sound like good ages, don't you agree?"

     "Yeah, that should be all right I think, but do you think Maria will go along with it?"

     "I think so.  So long as I don't do anything that will hurt them, which I won't, then everything will be all right."

     Richter nodded, and motioned his head to the grandfather clock on the far wall of the room.  "Well Adrian, thank you very much for your hospitality, but I should probably get going."

     "All right, Richter," Adrian began, as he rose from the couch with a sleepy Alcander in his arms.  "I'll show you to the door, and then I think I'll do Maria a favor by putting Alcander to bed."

     "Dad!" came the cries of a running child charging down the stairs.  Lysander stopped at the bottom of the stairs with his mother behind him.  "Dad, you said that you would play with me."

     "And I will son," Adrian replied.  "I'm just going to show your uncle to the door, and put your brother to bed."

     "That's all right," Maria began, as she gently took Alcander from his father.  "I'll put Cander to bed, so you can play with Sander."

     "All right then," and turning again to his brother-in-law he added, "goodnight Richter."

     "Goodnight Adrian," he replied with a courteous nod.

*

     Later that evening Adrian was sitting in the master bedroom preparing for bed, and waiting for Maria to enter the room.  She had gone to check on the children; something she often did before she went to bed.  When she entered the room dressed in her beautiful white gown that Adrian loved, while her curly blonde hair rested peacefully past her shoulders and her sea-green eyes gleaming through the candlelight, Adrian asked her, "are the children all right?"

     "Sleeping peacefully," Maria told him with a smile.

     "Speaking of the children, I wanted to talk about them for a moment."

     "What about them?"

     "Well, when I was talking to Richter earlier today he told me about how Christian is already being trained in the art of vampire hunting."

     Maria nodded and said, "Yes, that would seem about right.  Christian is at the traditional age where Belmont children receive their training to fight Dracula should he ever return, although you told me last night that he would never come back."

     "He won't, but that's beside the point.  When the children get older I want to train them in a manner similar to how Christian is being trained.  I believe that it will help both of them become mentally and physically tougher, which are good skills to have in your life.  But what I wanted to ask you is, do you have any objections to me training Lysander and Alcander when they get older?"

     "Of course not!" she exclaimed.  Adrian blinked in response.  He had actually thought Maria would have been slightly against the idea.  "I know that I spoil them way too much, and I can't help myself when I do; so I think that a little discipline would do both of them some good one day.  All I ask is that you don't start when they're too young."

     "Don't worry, I won't.  I thought I would start when they are seven and five."

     Maria nodded.  "All right, that should be fine then."     


	2. Lysander and Alcander's story begins 181...

New Generation

Chapter II

_So you children of the world  
listen to what I say  
if you want a better place to live  
then spread the word today  
show the world that love is still alive  
and you must be brave  
or you children of today  
are children of the grave_-  
"Children of the Grave"-Black Sabbath

     When the Tepes children finally reached the ages of five and seven, Adrian began their training regiment.  Adrian started small but gradually built them up.  His first act of discipline was to take them fishing.  While it didn't seem like much, Adrian used fishing to teach his sons patience, because patience is what is needed when teaching two young children about combat techniques.  When it came to Hand-to-Hand combat, Adrian explained to Lysander and Alcander the proper techniques of throwing punches and kicks, and how to defend yourself from an opponent attempting to do the same.  To explain melee combat, Adrian instructed his two sons with sticks as swords and with actual shields for defense.  To explain to his sons how to use a sword properly, Adrian purchased the carcass of a pig and hung it upside down in the family barn.  Adrian explained that the flesh of a pig is similar to that of a human, and instructed Lysander and Alcander where to strike it with their swords.  The final stage of Lysander and Alcander's training was firearm training, but that was taught more by their Uncle Richter, because he was better with a rifle than their father.

     Adrian continued to train his sons a little everyday after school, even when Lysander and Alcander became teenagers.  Both children grew into handsome young men.  Lysander shared his parents' blonde hair and had kind of a mix of his parents' eye color, but his father's brown was more dominate than his mother's green.  Alcander, like his brother, shared in the hair color of both his parents', but unlike Lysander, Alcander inherited his mother's green eyes.

*

     In October 1819 Adrian was conversing with his brother-in-law, Richter Belmont, in the Tepes backyard while a cool Romanian breeze blew quietly through the air.  "I'm going to be honest with you Belmont," beamed a proud Adrian; "I believe that both my children are equal in skill, if not possibly more, than Christian."

     "What makes you so sure?" replied Richter.

     "Because they were trained with the Tepes family history of fighting!"

     "Oh!" beamed Richter, "then that means that we, the Belmonts, have you defeated.  After all, we've been keeping some of the Tepeses at bay for…"

     "Only the evil ones," Adrian interjected.

     "And Lysander and Alcander are the 'Good Tepeses,' correct?" Richter replied with sarcasm.

     "Of course!" retained Lysander's and Alcander's proud father.

*

     On the other side of town, school was letting out for the day.  Fourteen-year-old Alcander Tepes was reclining against a tree, waiting for the arrival of his older brother, Lysander.  "Hey Alcander!" exclaimed a pretty brunette girl.  "What are you doing?"

Alcander's eyes immediately lighted up.  But his eyes always lighted up every time he saw Jessica Sage.  Jessica was a petite fourteen-year-old with blue eyes and brown hair.  "I'm waiting for my brother to show up, so we can go home," he answered, while doing his best to hide his nervousness.  "What are you doing, Jessica?"

     "Nothing really.  I just saw you leaning against that tree like you were all alone and just thought that I would come and say 'hello' to you."

     "Well, I'm not alone anymore now that I'm talking to you."  Jessica giggled, and Alcander smiled-a smile that seemed to grow the more he stared at Jessica's white dress.

     "Hey you!" exclaimed a voice from a far.  "Get away from her!"  Alcander rotated his eyes to the voice and discovered that it belonged to Brian Falkner, a school athlete that had his eyes on Jessica.  "That's my girl, Alcander!"

     "Brian!" shouted Jessica, obviously annoyed that Brian had addressed her as 'his girl.'  Brian Falkner was a well-built fifteen-year-old with brown eyes and brown hair.  His parents were slightly upper class, and Brian often wore some of the best clothes to school.  Most girls at the school found Brian very attractive, but Jessica was turned off by his pompous attitude.  Lysander and Alcander considered Brian to be nothing more than a spoiled child, who talked a good game, but couldn't back up his words with action; even though the Tepeses and Brian came from a similar background.  Like Brian, Lysander and Alcander's parents were both wealthy, but neither of them wore the finest clothes to school.  Their clothes were considered average, and Adrian and Maria raised their two sons to treat others as they would wish to be treated.

     "Really?" Alcander said with a smirk; "I don't seem to see anything that makes her your girl."

     "She's my girl because I said so!"

     Alcander sighed.  "Brian, when are you going to get that silver spoon out of your ass?"

     Jessica laughed at Alcander's statement, but with Brian, it hit a raw nerve.  He couldn't stand the words 'silver spoon.'  Nevertheless, he was determined to keep his cool and make Alcander out to be the fool.  He tried reverse psychology by informing Alcander that he too was born with a 'silver spoon.'

     "Yes," Alcander replied, "but unlike you, the 'silver spoon' is not stuck in my ass!"

     Brian gritted his teeth.  He was furious!  Alcander was making him out to be a fool in front of 'his girl.'  In an attempt to redeem himself, he threw a punch at Alcander, but Alcander simply swatted the fist away and punched him hard across the jaw.  Brian tumbled hard to the ground, but when he attempted another charge against Alcander he was thrown to the ground by a force behind him.  Brian didn't know what hit him until he rotated his body to see sixteen-year-old Lysander hovering over him.  "You know my brother's right," Lysander began.  "You wouldn't fall so hard if you could get that 'silver spoon' out of your ass!"

     "To hell with both of you!" Brian shouted.  Completely embarrassed, he left the school grounds while his fellow students chuckled at his cowardice.  

     Lysander and Alcander merely laughed at the defeated Falkner's words, and Jessica joined in with them.  "You know Sander, I didn't need your help to handle him."

     "Yeah, I know, but I can't stand that little bastard.  He's such a smart-ass thinking just because his parents are rich and he plays rugby that he's some kind of king."

     "Which is why he thought that I was going to go out with him," added Jessica.  "I would never go out with someone like that!"

     "Well," Alcander began, "I don't think he'll be calling you 'his girl' anymore."

     "Hopefully not," chuckled Jessica.

     "Jessica," Lysander began, "would you like us to walk you home since the two of us have to walk in the same direction?"

     "Certainly!  I'd love to have an escort with the Tepes brothers!"

     Lysander and Alcander laughed.  "All right, lets go then!"

*

     Lysander and Alcander escorted Jessica to her home, and would have enjoyed spending some time with her if they didn't have to fulfill their obligation to their father to practice their skills.  Immediately after school, Adrian put his sons through practice drills in order to keep their skill level high.  He drilled them for an hour, and then they were free to do as they wish.  Lysander decided to walk through the woods adjacent to the Tepes residence, while Alcander decided to read some on a book he borrowed from the library on Romanian history.

     When it came to their country's history, Alcander and Lysander found some interest in reading about their province of Wallachia.  In school they were taught about a Wallachian prince named Vlad Tepes.  Their teacher referred to this prince as the 'Impaler,' a title referred to his favorite method of torture; and by the name 'Dracula,' which means 'son of Dracul, or son of the Dragon.'  Both Lysander and Alcander asked their father at one point in their lives if they were in any way related to this Vlad Tepes, because they shared the same last name.  Their father told both of them that they shared a very distant relation to Prince Vlad, but that he was nobody to admire.  He was a cruel-heartless man, who made a pact with the Devil.  The majority of what Alcander read in this book about Prince Vlad was nothing he hadn't heard before.  That Vlad Tepes was a mighty warrior, he supposedly rose from the dead as a vampire, and he has been hunted down by a vampire slaying family known as the Belmonts.  Both Alcander and Lysander were taught by their uncle Richter Belmont that his family was the same as this particular Belmont family described, and that he too had faced the dark prince along with their father, Adrian.  Yet there was one thing in this book that caught Alcander's eye: _There is also a legend that as a vampire, Vlad Tepes fathered a child with a human woman_.  

     _"Never heard of that before.  I'll have to ask Dad about that later."_

     While Alcander continued to read his mother called to him through his open bedroom door.  "Cander," said Maria.

     "Yes?"

     "Where's your brother?"

     "He went for a walk in the woods."

     "Would you go and get him, and tell him that supper will be ready soon?"

     "Yes, Mom."  Alcander closed his book and set off into the woods to find his brother.  He knew exactly where Lysander would be, because the two of them often relaxed at a particular tree in the woods.

     Alcander spotted his brother sitting on a branch, and leaning back against their favorite tree.  Lysander appeared to have something in his mouth, but Alcander couldn't quite figure out what it was.  "Sander!" Alcander called.

     His brother's voice sent a bolt of lightning through Lysander's heart.  He hastily took the thing out of his mouth and turned to his brother.  "Damn it, Cander, not so loud!"

     "Sorry, but Mom…" Alcander ceased talking when he noticed what Lysander had in his mouth.  Lysander was smoking a cigar.  "Sander, what are you doing!?  Dad would kill you if he caught you smoking!"

     "But he won't so long as his 'little boy' keeps his mouth shut."

     "Damn it, Sander, quit calling me that!  Just because I'm the youngest doesn't mean I'm a tattle-tell."

     "You were a few years ago."

     "Yeah, well, that was then, this is now."

     Lysander took another puff of his cigar.  "So you won't tell Mom and Dad?"

     "No."

     "Good, I'm going to hold you to your word Alcander."

     "You can trust me, I'm your brother."

     "That means a lot."

     "Listen, where did you get that cigar from anyway?"

     "Christian gave it to me."

     "He did?"

     "Yeah.  The last time we visited Aunt Annette and Uncle Richter and Christian was around he bought some cigars and gave one to me when I asked."

     "I know that Aunt Annette, Uncle Richter, and Sidra don't like the fact that he smokes.  They say that it's bad for his conditioning when it comes to his training."

     "Yeah, well, he doesn't care, and he doesn't smoke that much anyway," Lysander pointed out.  "Besides, he purchased his own home and he doesn't feel that he lives under his parents' roof anymore."

     "Yeah, I can understand that," Alcander replied; "but you still live under your parents' roof, Lysander."

     "Yeah for now, but I won't one day.  And when that day comes, maybe I'll take little Miss Jessica to come and live with me."

     "What?!" exclaimed Alcander.

     Lysander laughed.  "Thought that might hit a raw nerve with you, but I wouldn't mind getting with her.  She's damn good-looking!"

     "Yeah, well…" Alcander started, "I saved her today; and not only that, she's the same age as me."

     "So what?  I'm older.  I'll bet she'd like an older man."

     "I don't think so."

     "We'll just wait and see, won't we little brother?" Lysander added with a grin.

     Alcander returned the grin, "Yeah, I guess so."

     "Speaking of what happened today Cander, I wouldn't be surprised if Brian Falkner doesn't try to avenge himself tomorrow.  He'll probably have to get help with some of the guys he plays rugby with, because he's too damn scared to handle anything by himself.  He talks a good game, but that's about it."

     "Well, I'm not scared of him," a bold Alcander replied.

     "Yeah, I know you're not, but since he's not man enough to do anything alone I'll be there to help you out if you need it."

     "Thanks Sander."

     "No problem.  By the way, what did you come to tell me?"

     "Oh, Mom said that supper is ready, and she sent me to get you."

     Lysander smoked the last of his cigar and descended from the tree branch.  "Good, I'm hungry actually.  Lets go!"


	3. First love interest

New Generation

Chapter III

_There's a lady who's sure  
all that glitters is gold  
and she's buying a stairway to Heaven_-  
"Stairway to Heaven"-Led Zeppelin

     "How can the two of you do something like that?" a surprised Jessica asked Lysander and Alcander following another eventful day of school.

     "Because we're trained to fight, that's how," Lysander told her.

     "Surely you know the history behind our father and our uncle, right Jessica?" asked Alcander.

     "You mean of Adrian Tepes and Father Richter Belmont slaying Vlad Tepes?  Of course!  Everybody in town knows that story," Jessica told the two brothers; "but is it naturally in your blood that you can fight off six strong men?"  

     Jessica was referring to an incident that happened during school with the Tepes brothers.  In another attempt to redeem himself, Brian Falkner told the players on his rugby team that Lysander and Alcander attacked him once they found out that Jessica was dating him.  Despite the fact that five young men came to Brian's behalf (some of whom were older than Lysander) they were unable to take down either one of the Tepes brothers.

     "I wouldn't call it 'naturally in our blood,'" Lysander began; "my brother and I have been training to fight in combat since we were kids.  Our dad told us it was simply our family history.  He said that his father, whom we never met, did the same thing to him."

     "You…are related to Dracula, are you not?"

     "Yes," Lysander and Alcander replied unanimously.

     "How so?"

     "We're not exactly sure," Alcander told her.  "Dad has always told us that it's a very distant relation."

     "Oh…I see."

     "It doesn't really matter much, does it?" replied Lysander.  "You can't choose who you're parents are.  Only God can do that.  Vlad Tepes was a monster, and we are both normal."

     "Or so you say," Jessica replied with a smile.

     Lysander returned the smile.  "Yeah, or so we say."

     When the three finally arrived to Jessica's residence she said to them, "would the two of you like to come inside?"  Alcander's heart was pounding at Jessica's words.  Lysander's was too, but not as much as his younger brother.

     "We'd love to, but we can't right now," Lysander told her.

     "Why not?"  That 'why not' question really struck a raw nerve with the brothers.  The two of them really wanted to go inside.

     "We have to work out for one hour to keep our skills strong," Alcander said.  "It's one of the things that Dad makes us do."

     "Well, would you be able to come back after you finish working out?"

     The brothers' faces illuminated like a giant Christmas tree.  "Absolutely!" they told her at the same time.

     "Wonderful!" she exclaimed.  "I can't wait to see both of you later!"

     "Neither can I!" replied Lysander.

     "Same here!" added Alcander.

     Jessica let out a giggle before gesturing goodbye to the two brothers and entering her home.

*

     One hour after Lysander and Alcander did their usual strength and defense workout the two brothers charged to their rooms to freshen-up, and to hurry out the front door first, because whomever left the house first would see Jessica Sage first.  Unfortunately for Lysander and Alcander the only woman who they met first was their mother.

     "Aren't you two in a hurry," she said.  "We're you off to?"

     "We're off to see a girl a few houses down," Alcander told her.

     Maria smiled.  "Well, I hope that my two boys don't end up fighting over the same girl."

     "We won't," replied Lysander with a wicked grin.

     Maria shot her eldest son a look.  "I hope not.  It's not worth your time fighting over the same woman."

     "Yes, Mom," replied Lysander.

     "Alcander?" Maria looked at him, expecting a similar response.

     "Yes, Mom," added her youngest son.

     "Good.  Well, your supper will be ready in a couple of hours.  Don't be late, or it will get cold."

     "Yes, Mom," the two boys added before exiting their home.  The two brothers arrived at Jessica Sage's house about fifteen minutes later.  Her mother welcomed Lysander and Alcander in without question.  Probably due more to their father's reputation than their own.  Jessica led the brothers to the woodland area outside her house, where Jessica told them she often visited to escape her parents.  While they continued to walk Alcander would absentmindedly hum a particular tune he was familiar with.  Jessica giggled at him, and Lysander absentmindedly smacked his brother on the back to make him stop.

     "What was that you were humming, Alcander?" she asked him with a smile.

     "Oh…" he started, slightly embarrassed that Jessica had caught one of his bad habits.  "Just this tune I have stuck in my head.  It's nothing really.  I just sometimes start humming."

     "He's odd like that," Lysander added, placing his younger brother in a headlock.  "He's been like that since he was little."

     Jessica giggled at both of them before her tone turned serious.  "I want to ask the two of you a question.  What do you plan on doing when you get older?"

     Alcander and Lysander gasped at the question.  This was not a question they were familiar with people asking them.  "I don't know," replied Alcander, while gazing his eyes on the countryside of his ancestors.  "I never really think too much about those things.  But, I've thought about becoming a historian.  I've always had a love for history, so maybe I'll go into that field.  Perhaps I'll teach at a university one day, or maybe I'll stay around here and teach."

     Jessica smiled, and turned to Lysander to ask him, "What about you Lysander?"

     Lysander shrugged.  "Unlike what my brother said I want something that doesn't involve this place."

     "What do you mean?" she asked him.

     Lysander shrugged again and gestured to the fields and the houses, literally the entire town.  "I'm tired of this village.  My mom and dad tell me all the time about how some of the people who live here have family that's lived here for centuries.  The same holds true for Mom's family, but I'm not sure about Dad's.  I just want to visit some other places in the world.  Maybe I'll find another area I'd like to call home."

     "Where would you like to go?"

     "I don't know.  Maybe Russia; perhaps Vienna in Austria.  Our father went to Vienna years ago when he had to fight Dracula.  I can remember him going, but Cander's too young to remember."

     "Yeah," Alcander added.  "I don't remember Dad going, but I heard him talk about Vienna and how beautiful it was.  After he and Uncle Richter defeated Dracula he wanted to take Mom on vacation to Vienna, but it never happened because I was too little at the time and Mom didn't want to go, and even as we got older I guess Mom and Dad just lost interest in going to Vienna."

     "Well Lysander," Jessica began, "if you ever decide to go to Vienna, can I go with you?"

     "Of course!  You'd be the prettiest girl in Austria."

     Jessica blushed, beet all the way to her shinning hair; and Alcander gently punched his older brother on the shoulder and said, "kiss ass."

     "Hey," Lysander replied, "it made her blush, didn't it?"


	4. Is he back?

New Generation

Chapter IV

_We'll know for the first time_

_ if we're evil or divine_

_ we're the last in line_

"Last in Line"-Ronnie James Dio

     Christian's brown eyes blinked in surprise from the revelation he received from his uncle, Adrian Tepes.  "You're what?!" 

     "You heard me correctly, Christian.  I am the son of Vlad Tepes."

     "But…that's impossible.  Vlad Tepes was a man who lived hundreds of years ago, and became a vampire."

     "That's true, but it's also true of who I am."

     "He's correct, Christian," Richter Belmont said jumping in.  "In 1797 your aunt and future uncle saved me from Dracula."  Richter noticed the confused look Christian gave him, and added to his confusion by informing him, "furthermore, your uncle helped our ancestor, Trevor Belmont, defeat Dracula in the late 15th century."

     Adrian chuckled after his brother-in-law's statement.  "You know Belmont, Christian reminds me a little bit of Trevor in terms of appearance.  He has his brown eyes and brown hair.  Yet it's interesting that the most famous of your clan is Simon Belmont.  Trevor is very rarely talked about in the history of the Belmont clan, like Simon is."

     "Uncle Adrian," began a confused Christian Simon Belmont, "if you are Vlad the Impaler's son, just how old are you?"

     Adrian placed his chin on his hand and replied, "Well, Christian, I was born in the year 1478, so that would make me 341 years old.  The interesting union between a vampire and a mortal woman."

     "So you're partially a vampire?"

     "Well, no, at least not anymore.  I was partially a vampire until you're father was able to perform an ancient Christian blessing that cleansed me of the vampiric blood that existed in my body.  In fact, my young Riff," Adrian said, referring to Christian's childhood name with a smile, "when you first met me I still had the traces of vampiric blood in my body, although I don't know if you can remember our first meeting since you were only three years old."

     "I can remember something about how you were asleep for a long time, or something like that."

     Adrian's eyes grew wide at his nephew's memory.  "Very good, Christian.  I'm surprised that you were able to remember that.  Nevertheless, what's interesting is that despite the fact that the vampire blood is gone I still have some of the powers and abilities of vampires.  I must have received a blessing from God or something."

     "But how do you know the vampiric blood is gone?  And does Sander or Cander have the blood in their systems?"

     "Let me answer your first question by asking you a question, Christian.  You've seen me at Mass with my family before, right?"

     "Yes."

     "You've watched me receive Communion, right?"

     "Yes."

     "Have you ever seen me become sick after receiving Communion?"

     "No."

     "Well, then that answers your question.  If the vampiric blood was still in my system I'd get sick after receiving Communion.  Now as to your second question, you were three years old when I received this blessing from your father, and I'm sure you can remember when Lysander and Alcander were born, right?"

     "Yes.  I was five when Sander was born, and seven when Cander was born."

     "Right, they were born after the blessing took place therefore, no, they don't have the blood of a vampire in their veins."

     "Since you're close to 400 years old, are Lysander and Alcander your only children?"

     "Yes."

     "Do they know that Vlad the Impaler is their grandfather?"

     "No, and I don't want them to ever know.  The only people that know Vlad Tepes was my father are your mother, father, and aunt.  Your grandparents, cousins, and sister know nothing; and I don't want you to ever tell them.  I don't want Lysander and Alcander to ever know."

     "Your secret is safe with me, Uncle."

     "Thank you."

*      

     "She does it so well sometimes," Adrian said to himself, while he looked at his wife sleeping peacefully at his side.  Unable to sleep, Adrian first tried to look at some of the objects in the Master Bedroom, which included two drawings of Lysander and Alcander when they were babies, and the small crucifix that hung over the bed that was worn by Maria on her and Adrian's wedding day.  Family memories were not enough for Adrian.  He finally resolved himself to visit the cellar and drink a few glasses of wine until he felt tired.  

     When his body finally succumbed to slumbering Adrian's subconscious took him to a place that he often tried to forget.  The castle he had grown up in as a child.  In his dream he saw himself surrounded by bookshelves, with a small, but growing, stack of books on the floor that had not yet been returned the shelves.  The books informed him that he was standing in the Castle's library.  Then he captured the familiar scent of the wax candles burning on the tables that provided him light during the late hours of the evening when all he wanted to do was read.  He also remembered the dust that collected on some of the discarded books in the library, usually Bibles and prayer books.  On one particular table was a 'thank you' letter from Pope Pius II to Vlad Tepes for fighting off the threat of Islam to Christianity.  Imagining the letter made Adrian remember his father telling him how some Orthodox Church leaders were upset when he received that letter from the Pope, due to the bitterness that still existed between Catholic and Orthodox Christians since the Great Schism.  

     "You always enjoyed this room, did you not?" asked a familiar voice.  Adrian's subconscious created the form of his father, dressed in his typical black robes with the emblem of a dragon on his chest.

     _"None of this is real," replied Adrian's inner thoughts.  "I'm having a dream."  _

     "Well?" the dark prince asked again.

     "Yes," replied Adrian.

     "I thought so, that's why I brought you here."

     "Brought me here?"

     "Yes, I know how much you enjoyed reading.  I've also noticed how the boys do too."

     "The boys?" asked a confused Adrian.

     "Yes, my two grandchildren.  Lysander and Alcander."  
     _"Huh?  What?  This is a dream, isn't it?"_

"I've noticed that both of them enjoy reading books on history, but I see that Alcander enjoys it more than his older brother."

     Adrian said nothing; he was dumbfounded.

     "Well, I just wanted to say 'hello' to you.  I thought about saying 'hi' to Lysander and Alcander, but neither one of them would've recognized me.  Take care my son."

*

     "Alcander!" shouted Lysander, as he tried to wake his younger brother.  "Get up!"

     Although he preferred to stay asleep, Alcander finally opened his eyes to his older brother's shouts.  "What is it, Sander?" asked a groggy Alcander.  "It's too early in the morning."

     "Look outside!" Lysander exclaimed, as he pointed to Alcander's bedroom window.

     Regretfully, Alcander removed his bed sheets and peered outside his window.  What he saw forced his eyes to blink a few times to make sure he wasn't hallucinating.  From his window he saw what appeared to be a castle in the distance, but he never saw the castle before.  "What the hell is that?" he asked.  

     "It looks like a castle," replied Lysander, "but I've never seen it before, and I know damn well that castles are not built over night."

     "Wait a minute!  Isn't that around the location where Mom and Dad told us Castle Dracula was located?"

     Lysander's mouth fell open.  "No…it couldn't be!"

     "Mom!  Dad!" the two brothers shouted at the same time.  

     Adrian and Maria were reluctant to leave their nice warm bed, but nevertheless, they answered the call of their sons.  "Yes, what is it?" asked their mother.

     "Mom.  Dad. Look outside the window," Lysander replied, pointing to the castle.

     "Oh, my God!" Maria said in almost a whisper.

     "What is it, Maria?" Adrian asked, until he too, saw what was in the distance.  It was at that moment that he recalled his dream.  Was his father back?


	5. Off to Castle Dracula

New Generation

Chapter V

_He (Jesus) had been saying to him, "Unclean spirit, come out of the man!"_

_Jesus asked him, "What is your name?"  
He replied, "Legion is my name.  There are many of us."-_

_St. Mark 5:8-9  
 _

     "Dad, what's going on?" Alcander asked, as his father rushed out of the house while still in his evening clothes, only putting a large coat over them to keep himself warm.  Adrian did not answer his son's question.  He only charged down the street.  Heading in the direction of the Belmont Estate.

     "Mom, what's going on?" Lysander asked, while Maria stood in-between her two sons.

     Maria sighed.  "Please come with me, both of you."  Maria led Lysander and Alcander into the sitting room, and asked them to sit on the couch, while she reclined in a chair.  "Sander.  Cander.  That castle you saw in the distance is the castle of Prince Dracula.  When Dracula is defeated his castle always crumbles with him, but when it's standing that usually means its master is at home."

     "Usually?" asked Alcander.  "What do you mean usually?"

     "Well, Cander, when I was pregnant with you the castle re-appeared, but Dracula was not residing in it…the Devil was."

     "The Devil?" began Lysander.  "You mean Satan?!"

     "Yes, and your father was actually able to turn him."

     "I've never heard about this," Alcander responded.

     "Neither have I," added Lysander.

     "Well, you were here Lysander, you were just too little to remember; and Alcander you weren't born until after your father came home from that particular adventure.  And no, you didn't hear about it, because your father is not one to talk about such things.  Just as a military veteran doesn't often talk about what he saw during combat.  However, that incident with your father and The Devil was the only time that Dracula was not residing in the Castle."

     "So what you're telling us, is that the vampire is back?" asked Lysander.

     "Yes, and this is why you've been training…in a sense."

     "What do you mean 'in a sense', Mom?" asked Alcander.

     "Well, Cander, after your father, your uncle, and their companions defeated Dracula twelve years ago, your uncle Richter started to train Christian in the art of vampire slaying.  This was a tradition in the Belmont family that will continue until evil is finally put to rest.  Your father believed that the two of you could use some similar training.  Not to slay monsters, but to toughen you two up, and I must say that toughened up the two of you have!  Now…as much as it hurts me to say this," Maria said, becoming a bit misty eyed, "I believe that you will have to put what your father and uncle have taught you into slaying a beast."

     "Mom," Lysander and Alcander said at the same time, while they knelt beside her.

     "If that's what we have to do we will not fail," replied a stern Lysander.

     "We are not going to let a monster harm either you or those who we care about," added an equally stern Alcander.

     Maria wiped away her tears and smiled.  "That's what I wanted to hear!" she added with a kiss on both their foreheads.            

*

     "Belmont!" Adrian called out when he spotted his brother-in-law riding a horse.

     Richter immediately pulled back on the reigns to stop the horse and said, "I woke up and saw the Castle this morning, Adrian!"

     "So did I.  I believe my father is back."

     "So do I," replied Richter.  "We need to talk about this."

     "Yes, we do.  Your place is closer lets meet there."  Richter motioned Adrian to mount his horse, and the two galloped back to the Belmont Estate.

     When Richter and Adrian arrived at the Belmont Estate, Christian was already present.  "Dad," he began, "I saw the Castle.  Does this mean…"

     Richter nodded.  "Yes, son, I believe it does.  Lets go inside."

     When the three entered the Belmont residence Anna (their servant cook) had already prepared three hot cups of coffee, which were sitting on the dinning room table.  Meeting them in the dinning room was Annette and Sidra Belmont.  When everyone became seated Sidra asked, "Uncle Adrian, is Dracula back?"

     Adrian nodded.  "Yes, Sidra, I believe so."

     "Does that mean Christian is going away?"

     "You know what I've trained for Sidra," responded Christian, looking at his little sister.

     "Is there no other way, Daddy?" Sidra replied, looking at her father.

     Richter shook his head.  "No, Sidra, this is the only way.  I don't want Christian to go, but there's no other way."

     "Will Alcander and Lysander be going too?" Sidra asked for the final time.

     Adrian nodded.  "Yes, I'll tell them everything about what they are to do; although their mother may have told them already."

     "Well, Dad," Christian began, "if this is my destiny when should I leave to achieve it?"

     "You should leave immediately," replied Richter.

     "You mean today?"

     "If you want to, but you may leave tomorrow morning if you wish."

     Christian nodded.  "Uncle Adrian, tell Sander and Cander that I want to leave today.  I know that it may sound too hasty, but we have a serious problem on our hands."

     "I understand Christian," replied Adrian.  "I'll go home and tell Sander and Cander immediately, and help them to prepare."

     "Thank you, Uncle."

     "But," interjected Richter, "before you leave I want us to celebrate a Mass."

     "Very well," Christian replied, "we shall have Mass before we depart."

*

     Adrian returned to his residence and told his wife and children what they were supposed to do.  While Lysander and Alcander were not happy about having to leave this exact day they reluctantly agreed.  Adrian presented each of his sons a sword from their family history.  For Lysander he presented him a sword that had been in Lisa's family, and a sword that he used to slay Dracula.  For Alcander he presented him with a sword that had been in Maria's family for generations. The Renard family had always cherished this sword because it was used to defend both their country and their faith.  Alcander's sword was wielded by an ancestor on Maria's paternal side in defense of the country and the Church during the 15th century.  

     Once Lysander and Alcander were presented with their swords Maria asked both of them to follow her into the Master Bedroom.  There, she opened a dresser-drawer, and placed a rosary in Lysander's hands.  "Lysander, this rosary was given to you on your first birthday by Father Miceadu, a departed priest who helped your father and I slay Dracula when you were a baby.  Take it with you, and think of me when you see it."

     "Thank you, Mom," Lysander said, in a shallow-husky voice.

     Maria returned to the dresser-drawer and placed in Alcander's hands another rosary, although this one was significantly smaller than Lysander's.  "Alcander, Father Miceadu handed me this rosary shortly after your baptism, which was one of the final events he had on this earth since he passed away the day after he baptized you and Sidra.  Like Lysander, take this with you, and think of me when you see it."

     "Yes, Mom…I will," Alcander added, in the same tone as his older brother.

*

     After Lysander and Alcander received the gifts from their mother and father the two brothers decided that they wanted to see Jessica Sage before going to Mass.  "I guess neither of us will have a chance with her now, Sander."

     "It looks that way, doesn't it?"  Lysander paused and added, "I just hope she doesn't end up with Brian Falkner while we're away."

     "Yeah, neither do I, but women are so confusing sometimes.  I know that Jessica doesn't like him, but who's to say that she wouldn't fall for him while we're away?"

     "Exactly!  That's what I'm saying as well."

     When the two brothers approached Jessica's door and knocked their father was quick to answer.  He did not appear the same as he did a few days ago.  He appeared very nervous and apprehensive.  "Is Jessica with both of you?" he asked before the two brothers could even say 'hi.'

     "Umm…no she's not," replied a confused Lysander.

     "We actually came here to see Jessica," added Alcander.

     "Did either of you see her today?"

     "No," the two brothers said unanimously.

     Jessica's father let out a sigh, a very depressing sigh.

     "What's wrong?" asked Alcander.

     "Jessica was not here this morning when her mother and I woke up," replied her father calmly, motioning Lysander and Alcander to enter.  "We wondered if maybe she just decided to go into town early this morning, but she hasn't come back yet.  Her mother is currently searching for her, and now with the appearance of Castle Dracula I fear the worst…I didn't tell her mother this, but I wonder if maybe Dracula didn't capture her."

     Lysander and Alcander gasped at Jessica's father's theory.  "What makes you believe that?" asked Lysander.

     "Because Dracula's return and Jessica's disappearance are almost at the same time.  For all I know she could've left her bedroom and walked outside during the middle of the night, and Dracula simply swooped down and captured her.  Remember, Jessica doesn't understand what it feels like to live in fear of Vlad the Impaler."

     "Mr. Sage," began Alcander, "my brother and I, along with our cousin, Christian, are on a mission to slay Dracula if he has risen, but before we go may I ask where did you see Jessica last?"

     "You two are on a mission to slay Dracula?" he asked, giving them a queer look.  "How old are both of you?"

     "I'm fourteen and Lysander is sixteen."

     "And you're going to destroy Vlad the Impaler?" he asked, very skeptical of both of them.

     "Yes, along with our older cousin."

     "What makes you two boys believe that you can destroy Vlad Tepes?"

     "Because we've been training for it since we were very young," answered Lysander.  "Plus, our father did it before us.  We also have faith, which keeps us from the fear of a vampire; and if I were you, I'd have a little more faith in our abilities as well!"

     Jessica's father said nothing.  He just stared at the two brothers with a blank look on his face.  Finally, Alcander broke the silence.  "Look, even if you don't believe us, will you at least tell us where you saw her last so we can at least see if Dracula might be involved?" 

     "I saw her last in her bedroom."

     "Can we take a look?" asked Lysander.

     "If you wish."

     Jessica's father escorted both Lysander and Alcander to his daughter's bedroom.  Everything appeared the way it should for a teenage girl's bedroom.  "Did anything look different when you entered Jessica's bedroom this morning?" asked Lysander.

     "No, not really…except that the icon of Madonna and Child was laying on the floor."

     While Lysander and Alcander were not exactly experts on vampires they knew that a vampire could not enter a home unless invited in, and if a vampire saw a Christian image he or she was usually repelled.  The icon on the floor is a possibility that Dracula could have been here.

     "Mr. Sage, if Dracula kidnapped Jessica we will get her back, and he will not harm a single hair on her head!" assured Alcander.

     "I appreciate that Mr. Tepes.  I really do," he replied, though his voice did not reflect that he actually believed Lysander and Alcander could really rescue his daughter. 

*

     Before the Mass at the Belmont chapel Lysander and Alcander discussed with Christian the possibility that Dracula may have kidnapped their friend, Jessica.  "It's very possible," Christian told them.  "I'm sure that Prince Vlad knows that you're possible hunters out to slay him.  Dracula kidnapped my mother once, when my Dad and her were still dating."

     "But neither of us are dating her," Alcander informed him.

     "Doesn't matter.  She's still a pawn that he can use."

     Before the Mass concluded Richter asked his son and nephews to approach the altar.  Around their necks he placed a crucifix, presented them with a piece of the Host, and, in an emotional tribute, he handed his son the legendary Belmont whip that had been in the family since the days of Leon Belmont.  After Mass the three exchanged goodbyes with their family members and mounted three horses.  While leaving the Belmont Estate they turned and waved goodbye one final time.

     "There's one thing I still don't exactly understand," Alcander said to his brother and cousin.  "If Dad and Uncle Richter destroyed Dracula with the Eucharist how was he able to come back?"

     Lysander and Christian pondered for a moment on Alcander's question.  That was a question they'd love to know the answer to.  While Lysander's mind was lost in thought, Christian caught the faint sense of crying.  He motioned his two cousins to be quiet, so they could hear what was being said.  Alcander and Lysander recognized the voice of the crying person to Brian Falkner.  Falkner was hiding in a patch of bushes, and appeared to be crying to God for forgiveness over bringing back a monster.

     _"Bringing back a monster?" Alcander said to himself._  "You stupid son of a bitch!" screeched Alcander into the bushes were Falkner was hiding.  Falkner leapt from the ground absolutely terrified of Alcander's voice.  "How stupid can you be, you dumb son of a bitch!"

     "Hey!" Christian yelled to his cousin, while placing a hand before him, instructing him to calm down.  "Calm down, Alcander," and handing the reigns of his horse to him he added, "hold my horse."  Christian dismounted the horse, and approached a very nervous Brian Falkner.  Unfortunately for Falkner, Christian Belmont was not the mood to offer much sympathy either.  He grabbed Falker by the shirt collar and demanded that he "tell everything."

     Falkner swallowed a heavy lump in his throat before he told his tale:

     "I was so upset over what happened between myself and Alcander and Lysander, because I wanted to be with Jessica so badly and…"

     "Maybe if you wouldn't have been such a pompous ass you could've had her!"  Alcander screeched.  "Now that son of a bitch has her!"

     "Damn it, Cander!  Shut up!" Christian shouted back to his younger cousin.  Then he relaxed his voice and returned his attention back to Brian and replied, "Please go on."

     "That evening after I attempted to kick Alcander's ass…"

     "With five guys," whispered Alcander to his older brother.

     "…I became upset that I've been made out to be a fool twice in a row…"

     "That didn't take much," Lysander whispered back to his brother.

     "…so that on that evening when I considered entering the tavern a stranger approached me and started talking to me."

     Now Lysander, Alcander, and Christian became very interested in what Brian had to say.  "Who was this man?" asked Christian.

     "I don't know.  He had brown hair, and was wearing a black coat.  He started talking to me and eventually told me that I, 'didn't look so well.'  

     I told him that I wasn't.  

     He inquired why, and I told him about what happened with Alcander and Lysander.  After I said their names he asked me if I 'wanted to get even?'

     I obviously answered, 'yes.'  That's when he told me he had someone who will help me.  I asked him, 'who?'

     And he said, 'Romania's greatest champion, Vlad Tepes!' 

     I told him about how Vlad Tepes was a monster, and he asked me 'how do I know that?'  

     I told him that everyone in the village knows that, and he asked me 'is everyone in the village always right?'  

     I said, 'well no.'  

     And he replied, 'so how do you know they are right about Vlad Tepes?  In other countries Vlad is viewed as a great champion, who defended Christianity when it was under attack in this country.  This village is unappreciated to Prince Dracula's sacrifice.  Every Sunday they gather for Mass in their churches without ever considering that if it wasn't for Vlad Tepes the women would have their faces covered and would be praying five times a day facing Mecca.  Such hypocritical people in this village!  Tell me, did your mother tell you at one time that St. Nicholas delivered your Christmas presents?'

     I said, 'yes.'

     And he added, 'well, was that a lie?'

     And I replied, 'well, sort of.'

     And his response was, 'sort of?  Either he did or he didn't!  So did he?'

     I of course answered, 'no.'

     And he added, 'well, then perhaps you've been mislead all this time about Vlad Tepes?'

     'Perhaps so,' was my response.  That's when he asked me if I wanted to get revenge, and I answered 'yes.'  So he asked me to follow him to the hillside above town, and he began to talk in this queer language.  I don't know what it was, but he said a lot of things in a chant.  Then he held out this box and asked me to step forward.  I did as I was asked, and that's when he grabbed my wrist and sliced it with a knife.

     I screamed at him.  Asking him, 'what are you doing?'

     And his response was, 'bringing back our dark lord.'

     The blood from my wrist dripped into the box the man was carrying, and from it came this red flame, almost a blood curdling flame.  The man finally let me go, and I placed my wrist against my shirt to stop the bleeding.  When the box disappeared it revealed a man dressed in black, who looked at me as though he was The Devil himself!  I knew that this man had to be Dracula, because he looked just like him from the portraits that I've seen.  Dracula looked at me, while the other man started worshipping him and said, 'you don't know the foolish thing you've done bringing me back!  You'd better ask your precious God for forgiveness, because the citizens of your village will prepare nothing more than a gallows for you!'  It was after that, that he and the other man disappeared."

     "You're lucky," Christian replied.  "It's amazing that Dracula didn't kill you."  Then he turned to his cousins and added, "He must still be very weak from the last encounter with our parents twelve years ago."  Lysander and Alcander nodded, and Christian returned his gaze to Brian Falkner.  Falkner was obviously nervous and scared.  He had no idea what his fate would be once the citizens of the village realized that he was responsible for the return of the vampire.  Would they be sympathetic to him, or would they do as Dracula predicted, attempt to hang him?  Christian was moved with pity for Brian, something he doubted his younger cousins would be.  "Brian, you want to redeem yourself, right?"

     "Yeess," Brian said with a nod, obviously still very nervous.

     "Well, I think I have an idea of how you can be forgiven."

     "How's that?"

     "You can come with us."

     "What?!" exclaimed Lysander and Alcander at the same time.

     "Yes, Brian," continued Christian; "you can come with us.  For if we succeed in defeating this monster your sin will be forgiven."

     "But…what if we fail?"

     "Well, could it be any worse then what you might experience if you remain in town?"

     Brian paused before he answered, "probably not, but…what should I tell my parents?"

     "We really don't have time to talk to them.  Here's what I can do for you.  I want to stop at the church down the road, and have the priest clean you up; and I want you to write a letter to your parents telling them what you are doing, and I will ask the priest to have my father deliver it to them."

     Brian nodded.  "All right."

     Christian smiled.  "Good man, but there is one step I want you to do first."

     "What's that?"

     In response to Brian's question, Christian handed Brian his luggage and instructed Lysander and Alcander to do the same.  "Carry our luggage to the church.  It's the least you can do for us, since we're taking you along," Christian added with a smile.  Lysander and Alcander also smiled, as the three of them galloped at a slow pace that was fast enough for Brian to follow at their side, carrying their luggage.  

     After the four arrived at the church the priest cleaned Brian's wound and properly bandaged it.  Then he presented Brian with a crucifix to wear around his neck, a knapsack, and a piece of the Host.  The priest was also kind enough to give the party some extra food since they had another member traveling with them, and Christian informed Brian that he would help in purchasing him a small sword once they arrived at the next town.  


	6. Unwanted companion

New Generation

Chapter VI

_From the red sky of the east,  
to the sunset in the west,  
we have cheated death and he has cheated us.  
But that was just a dream,  
and this is what it means.  
We are sleeping, and we'll dream for evermore.  
And the fragment remains of our memories,  
and the shadows we made with our hands.  
Deeper grey, come to mourn,  
all the colours of the dawn,  
will this journeyman's day be his last?_-

"Journeyman"-Iron Maiden

     Christian, Lysander, Alcander, and Brian reached the next village on their journey to Castle Dracula just before the sun set over the Carpathian Mountains.  When the four approached the village inn, Christian dismounted his horse and handed the reigns to Brian.  "I'm going inside to buy lodging for the night," he told them.  "Please take my horse, along with yours, to the inn's stable."  

     Lysander and Alcander nodded at their older cousin, while they led the horses to the stable.  The two brothers also shared a look of disgust that Brian was along with them.  _Damn that soft spot Christian has in his heart_, they said to themselves.

     "Umm…Lysander, Alcander…" started Brian.  Lysander and Alcander turned to him, but did not give him a look that made him feel welcome.  "I know that I'm sort of thrown into this without exactly asking, but how exactly are we to defeat Dracula?"

     "By stabbing a sword through his heart, and decapitating his head!" replied an annoyed Lysander.

     "Surely, Brian, your parents told you how a vampire is to be destroyed?  It's not exactly un-common knowledge in these parts," added Alcander.

     "Well…they did, but I just wanted to check and make sure."  Lysander and Alcander said nothing back to their unwanted companion, only giving him a look of disgust.

     "All right everyone!" Christian declared as he entered the stable.  "I've paid for our rooms for the night, and once we get the horses secured we can sit in the inn's bar for spirits and supper.  From the appearance of our horses they seem to be all right, but Sander and Cander I need to spend a moment to talk to you.  Would you excuse us, Brian?  I need to spend a few minutes talking to my cousins."

     "Yeess, sir, Mister Belmont!"

     But when Brian turned to leave the stable Christian replied back, "and Brian, please try not to be so nervous.  Nobody is going to harm you."

     "I know, Mr. Belmont, but I'm still slightly nervous over everything that has happened to me so far."

     Christian nodded.  "That's understandable Brian.  Why don't you go inside and relax yourself a bit?  I just need to have a family meeting with my cousins."

     "Yes, sir…thank you Mr. Belmont."

     "You're welcome, Brian.  And Brian?"

     "Yes?"

     "You don't need to call me 'sir' or 'Mr. Belmont.'  Just 'Christian' will do."

     "Alright, thanks Mr…er, Christian."

     "Thanks Brian; we'll see you in a few minutes."

     After Brian Falkner left the stables Alcander made the comment, "yeah, you little bastard, we'll see you in a few minutes."

     "Damn it, Cander, stop that!" shouted Christian.  And turning to his other cousin, "The same goes for you too, Sander!"

     "Christian, I don't like that guy, period!" exclaimed Alcander.

     "That goes for me too," added Lysander.  "That son of a bitch is the reason why Dracula now holds Jessica in his possession."

     "I wouldn't be one-hundred percent certain of that."

     "What the hell are you talking about, Christian?" replied a stunned Lysander.  "That moron was stupid enough to believe what some servant of Dracula told him, despite the fact that he should've known better, and know Dracula is back because of him!"

     Christian sighed, and put his hand to his forehead.  A sign that he was aggravated at the lack of respect his cousins were showing for Brian.  "First off, Lysander, Brian was deceived by what that man told him.  Whom ever this servant of Dracula is told him lies mixed in with the truth.  People who want to take advantage of others often use this tactic, and Brian fell for it.  Furthermore, I don't believe that Brian's blood is completely responsible for the return of Dracula.  On two separate occasions between Dracula and our parents, our parents have used the Eucharist to destroy Dracula.  Neither of you would remember either encounter, but I can remember the first one especially since both Lysander and I were held prisoner inside Castle Dracula."

     Lysander shook his head in confusion.  "What?  What do you mean inside Castle Dracula?"

     Christian chuckled.  "I guess that Uncle Adrian and Aunt Maria never told you that story.  We'll you were too young to remember it, and Cander had yet to arrive on the scene.  It was actually your mother, Father Miceadu, and Natalia…"

     "Natalia?!" interjected Alcander.  "You mean the woman that Dad can't stand?!"

     Christian laughed.  "Yes, Alcander, one in the same.  Anyway, Father Miceadu placed a piece of the Host in Vlad the Impaler's mouth and he immediately combusted, similar to a balloon filled with too much air.  Yet after only four years Vlad Tepes returned somehow.  I don't know exactly how he did, because the Eucharist should've made it almost impossible, yet it still happened.  I believe that ever since my father and your father destroyed Dracula twelve years ago that some underground cults have been trying to revive him, and Brian's blood was simply the final piece of the puzzle.  So with that being said, I would appreciate it if both of you tried to be a little more respectful to Brian.  He is coming with us, and we're going to have to train him in some form of combat, so he can defend himself."

     Lysander and Alcander nodded.  "All right, Christian," replied Lysander, "we'll try to be a little more respectful to him, but only because you asked us too, not because we want to."

     Christian smiled back at them.  "Thank you.  Now lets go inside.  I'm in the mood for a hot meal, a beer, and a cigar!"

     "We'll be inside in a minute," Alcander told him.

     "All right."

     After Christian left the stable Alcander looked to his older brother.  "I don't care what Christian says, that son of a bitch still willingly followed Dracula's servant along.  He may have been the final piece of the puzzle, but he still agreed to follow that man along to assist in the return of Dracula when he should've known better."

     Lysander nodded.  "I'm in agreement with you, Cander.  Brian should've known better, but I guess we need to try and be nice to him since Christian asked us to.  For the life of me, I still can't understand how Christian can't see what we're seeing!"

     "I can't either, but I don't think it's worth our time to try and figure it out."

     "Probably not."

*

     "So let me see if I've got this right, Father Belmont," Brian's father began.  "You're telling me that our son helped resurrect Vlad the Impaler, and now he's marching off to Castle Dracula with your son and two nephews?"

     "According to this letter I received from the parish priest of St. Andrew's he apparently is."  Richter handed the letter to Mr. and Mrs. Falkner.  "Is this your son's handwriting?"

     Mr. Falkner read over the letter and said, "Yes, it is."

     "Then I guess that answers your question."

     "But I don't understand why?" Mrs. Falkner replied, entering the conversation.  "Why would he resurrect a monster like Vlad Tepes?!  Surly he knew better?"

     "I can't understand why he would either, Mrs. Falkner, but in his letter he writes that he was deceived.  Nevertheless, what ever the true circumstances are, I believe it would be a wise decision if the two of you didn't talk about it."

     Mr. and Mrs. Falkner nodded.  "Despite all of that," Mrs. Falkner added, "I don't know how he will be able to handle himself inside the Castle?  Our son was not trained like your son or your nephews, Father Belmont."

     "Mrs. Falkner, does your son have faith?"

     "Yes, Father.  We raised him to believe in the teachings of Jesus and the Church.  Which still makes me wonder why he…"

     "I know what you're going to say, Mrs. Falkner, and for right now let me suggest as a priest try not to wonder to much about that question.  But on the matter at hand, so long as your son does not lose his faith that will be his weapon against the forces of Vlad the Impaler and the forces of darkness."

*

     That evening at the Tepes residence Adrian captured a glimpse of his wife staring at Castle Dracula that illuminated in the moonlight.  Earlier that day, after her sons set off on their journey, Adrian noticed his wife going through some of Lysander and Alcander's old toys and baby items that she had saved.  He approached her and wrapped his arms around her waist, his arms overlapping hers.  "Are you all right?"

     She nodded, and turned to him.  "Yes, I'm all right."

     "You don't sound all right."

     "Now you know how I felt every time you set off on an adventure, and I was left here at home with our two sons," she said with a smile, despite the tears that were beginning to show in her eyes.

     "Maria," Adrian said, pulling her even closer to him; "you know what our sons trained for."

     "No, I didn't," she added with her voice becoming coarse.  "I never expected him to come back!"

     "Maria," Adrian began as he placed his wife's head against his chest and rubbed his fingers through her soft hair; "Maria, you know that we never expected Dracula to come back any of the times he did years ago, yet it was my duty to face him."

     "But that's the difference between you and our boys.  You were a grown man, and they're still boys!  Why didn't you go with them?  Forget that question.  Why didn't I stop them?  Because they're not ready for such a challenge!"

     "Yes, they are."

     "Damn it, Adrian!" she screeched; "they're still children!"

     "I know how old they are, but they're still powerful enough to defeat Dracula.  They're more powerful than I am right now!"

     Maria's green eyes displayed a completely confused look for her husband.

     "Maria, if I was to go after Dracula right now I don't believe that I could win.  Age and humanity is starting to finally catch up with me, but it hasn't caught up with our boys."

     Maria said nothing.  She simply turned away.

     "Look Maria, I want you to understand something.  I would've never sent our children off if I believed they were going to be slaughtered.  You know that I love my sons just as much as you do, and I know that Richter and Annette feel the same way towards Christian."

     Maria returned her gaze to her husband with tears slowly rolling down her cheeks.

     Adrian gently wiped the tears away.  "Maria, I have faith in my sons.  I trained them.  I know their abilities, and so do you.  Please have more faith in them."

     Maria did her best to smile, and Adrian kissed her, yet she was still worried, as any mother would be, over the fate of her children.       

*

     At dawn the next morning Christian visited the village's weapon and armory shop.  He purchased for Brian some leather armor, a small sword, and a revolver.  "Brian," he told him, when he presented him with the gifts, "I think you will be able to move around comfortably with this gear.  How familiar are you with either a sword or a gun?"

     "I've fired a rifle before at my father's, but I've never used a sword before."

     "Well, a sword is going to be your most valuable weapon.  Many of the monsters controlled by Prince Vlad will not respond to bullets.  With the help of Sander and Cander I will show you some proper techniques with a sword that may save your life."  Before the four-left town that day Christian instructed Brian how to properly hold his sword, and how to wield it.  For stabbing and defense, Christian instructed Brian with sticks.  Although Brian was far from becoming a master of the sword, Christian felt that even in that first lesson he had some potential that could be built upon as their journey continued.


	7. Opium is your friend

New Generation

Chapter VII

_So the world is spinning faster.  
Are you dizzy when you're stoned?  
Will the music be your master?_

_Will you heed the master's call?_-

"Houses of the Holy"-Led Zeppelin

     Christian observed the rays of the sun to his west.  "The sun will be gone in a few hours, but we should arrive at the next town before it does."

     "Christian?" Brian began.

     "Yes?"

     "I've never really experienced Romania under the threat of a vampire, but if one evening we were trapped out in the darkness what can we do to protect ourselves?"

     "Be on guard," Christian said sternly.  "However, vampires can venture out during the day, but only the really powerful ones choose to do so.  Vlad Tepes is one such vampire, but he is very weak during the day, and after your experience with him I seriously doubt he would try such a thing at this particular stage."

     "Christian, how did Vlad the Impaler become a vampire?  He was born like the rest of us, wasn't he?"

     "That he was.  According to my father and my uncle Adrian Tepes, Lysander and Alcander's father, Dracula lost someone who was very precious to him, his wife.  We don't know what her name was.  Even my uncle Adrian, who's a descendent of Vlad Tepes, doesn't know her name, but whomever she was she was misled that Prince Vlad was either killed in battle against the Islamic Turks, or that Castle Dracula was about to be seized by the Turks.  We don't know the exact story on that either.  What we do know for certain is that she leapt from the Castle's balcony into the river Agnes below.  She either landed in a part that was too shallow, or she landed on a rock because she was killed and her body was rescued from the water.  Vlad Tepes was not only distraught that his wife had committed suicide, but was also upset that the Church would not allow her a proper Christian burial, because she committed suicide.  Vlad believed that God had betrayed him over the incident, and he renounced Him.  Over the course of many years Prince Vlad Tepes's sanity began to leave him, as he started drinking the blood of living things."

     "Didn't anyone try to help him?"

     "One of his closest friends and allies did, my ancestor Leon Belmont.  According to what my father told me, around the year 1463 Leon tried to make Dracula reconsider what he'd done with his life.  Prince Vlad, however, didn't want to hear any of it, and Dracula banished my ancestor from his Castle.  Leon told Vlad Tepes before he departed, 'I hope that God will forgive you.'

     And Dracula told him, 'I'll never forgive Him!  Even after my death I shall not remain in my grave.  I shall return to seek my retribution on Him!'

     As he left the Castle, Leon told Prince Vlad, 'If you somehow manage to come back from the grave I will hunt you down and destroy you!'

     From that moment in history the Belmont family has been fighting Vlad Tepes, and will continue to do so until the day he never returns!"

     "That's an incredible story!" exclaimed Brian.  "I never knew the whole story between Dracula and the Belmont family."

     "Many do not," replied Christian.

     "There is something that I want to you, Alcander?"

     "Yes, Brian, what is it?" Alcander asked with a sigh, doing his best to follow Christian's request.

     "I was too nervous to ask you before because I was still shaken up after everything that happened, but I remember hearing you say something that 'now he has her.'  Were you referring to Jessica?"

     "Yes, but I don't know if Dracula has her.  Before Sander and I left to go on this mission with Christian we wanted to say goodbye to her, but her dad said that he hadn't seen her all morning, and that he wondered if maybe Vlad the Impaler didn't kidnap her.  I hope he doesn't have her, but I wouldn't be surprised.  Christian told me that Dracula kidnapped his mother back when she and Uncle Richter were still dating.  He said that he does these kind of things when he suspects that you're out to slay him, that he'll kidnap someone you're familiar with."

     "If Dracula has Jessica, what do you think he's doing to her?"

     "Hopefully nothing…I've been praying a lot more that he's not harming her."

     "I see the village!" Lysander exclaimed, as he pointed to the highest building, the church steeple.  

     "Wonderful…" Christian paused from his next comment.  Something cold and white had gently landed on his face.  "This is a good sign."

     "What is?" asked Lysander.

     "Snow," Christian told.  "Snow is pure, and anything pure is go…Forget I said anything."

     "Why?  What do you mean?" asked Alcander.

     "Well, I was about to say that anything pure is good, but then I remembered that Lysander was born on a night that it snowed heavily.  Therefore, not everything that comes with snow is pure."

     Alcander laughed out loud, and placed his older brother in a headlock, before Lysander pushed him away.  "Oh, kiss my ass!" he told them.

     Brian attempted a giggle, but he couldn't laugh like that Alcander and Christian could since he still did not feel completely welcome.

     Christian ceased laughing once the four of them entered the town.  "Lets get the horses in the stable," he told them, "and buy our rooms for the night."  Unlike at the last town, Christian helped in putting the horses into the stable and sent Alcander inside to purchase the rooms.  Christian told Alcander not to worry, and that he should go into the inn's tavern and relax himself.

     The tavern was adjacent to the Inn Keeper's desk, and Alcander sat on the stool in front of the bartender.  "Welcome, young sir," the bartender told him.  "You certainly appear young to be traveling."

     "That may be, but I'm not too young to wield a sword," Alcander told him, as he un-sheathed his sword for the bartender to see.

     "That's an impressive looking sword!  Were did you get it?"

     "It's a family heirloom.  It's been in my mother's side of the family for generations.  I don't know how old it is."

     Alcander returned the sword to its sheath and the bartender asked him, "So what would you like to drink?"

     "Just a brandy."

     "Very well."  The bartender poured Alcander a brandy and placed it before him.  "Here you are, sir."

     "Thank you."  Alcander took a sip of his brandy, and watched the bartender light his pipe.  The smell of the smoke from the bartender's pipe was different from the smell of cigars that he was familiar with.  "What is that you are smoking?"

     "Opium, sir."

     "Opium…" Alcander began.  He was familiar the plant, because it was grown some in Romania, but he never knew anyone to smoke it.

     "Yeah, one puff of it puts me in a perfect state of happiness.  Would you like to try some?" he asked, placing the pipe in front of Alcander.

     "Well…I don't smoke actually, although my brother and cousin sometimes smokes cigars."

     "Cigars!  To hell with cigars!  The feeling you get from this is something you'll never experience with a cigar!  Sure you don't want to try it?"

     "Well…I guess one puff won't hurt me."

     "Just make sure to breathe in hard, otherwise you won't feel the effects of it."

     Alcander breathed in as hard as he could on the pipe.  He coughed out the smoke, but he was left with a bright a cheery look on his face.  When his older brother, cousin, and still unwanted companion entered the tavern Alcander greeted them with a beaming smile.

     "What the hell are you so happy about, Cander?" asked Lysander.

     "I've never felt better, Sander."

     Lysander looked at his younger brother's glass and asked the bartender, "How many of those has he had?"

     "About one sip," the bartender told him.

     "Damn Cander!  You're not drunk on one sip, are you?"

     "Absolutely not!" Alcander declared.  "I'm just in a good mood, is there something wrong with that?"

     "No, not at all."  Lysander sat on the stool next to Alcander and said, "I wouldn't mind being in a good mood either.  Barkeep, give me the same thing that you gave my brother to make him happy."

     "You'll have to smoke this to get happy," the bartender told him, flashing his pipe.

     "What is that?" asked Christian.

     "Opium."

     "Cander you smoked opium?!" exclaimed Christian.

     "One puff of it, just to try it," he told him.

     Lysander laughed.  "I wonder what Mom and Dad would think if they found out that their 'little boy' smoked opium?"

     "I could really care less what Mom and Dad would think."

     Lysander laughed at his brother's response, and Alcander eventually joined him.  Christian laughed too.  So did Brian, although very reluctantly.

     "I'll tell you what," Lysander declared.  "I want to try some of that stuff too."

     "Same here!" responded Christian.

     "Yeah, same here," added Brian.

     The bartender gave Lysander, Christian, and Brian a puff of his pipe; although Brian had to take a second puff because the bartender told him that he "wasn't inhaling it."  Just one puff was enough for the party to relax and enjoy themselves for the evening, and for the first time since their mission together started Lysander and Alcander treated Brian as though he was their family member, like Christian.  Due in part to the fact that under the influence of the opium they honestly forgot how much they despised him.


	8. Lysander meets a new woman

New Generation

Chapter VIII

_Wishful crystal,  
water covers everything in blue.  
Wishful sinful,  
our love is beautiful too.  
See I know where I would like to be.  
Right back where I came.  
Wishful, sinful, wicked blue.  
Water covers you.  
Wishful, sinful, wicked blue.  
Can't escape the blue_-  
"Wishful Sinful"-The Doors

     The morning following the party's experience with opium the four of them woke up feeling refreshed.  Brian for the first time since the adventure started also felt a sense of peace.  Last night was the first time he felt accepted by Lysander and Alcander.  The two brothers even smiled at him when they saw him walk by.  Brian too felt that he had something to say to both of them, or at least one of them.  "Alcander," he said approaching him, while Alcander was putting his body armor on.

     "What is it Brian?"

     "Alcander, I just want to say that I'm sorry for what happened that day at the school.  It was my fault for being such a bastard.  You're right, I am born with a silver spoon stuck up my ass, and I believed that for a long time that anything I wanted I could grab anytime I wanted to.  This journey has showed me that the world doesn't always work that way, so I just want to say to both you and your brother that I'm sorry."

     "Well Brian, I can accept your apology for that incident, but the Dracula raising thing is a whole other issue."

     "Look," Brian began, gesturing his hand, "I'm sorry about that.  I didn't know what I was thinking."

     "But you should've!" Alcander firmly replied.  "Brian, everybody in this country knows about Vlad the Impaler, especially in our village!"

     "I know, but that man made some points that made me wonder…"

     Alcander's face turned bright red and his eyes started to grow wide as he listened to Brian's statement.  "Made you wonder what?  That Vlad Tepes might've been a good guy after all?!  Tell me, Brian.  If Vlad Tepes was 'such a great man' then why did my father and my uncle risk their lives to destroy a 'great man?!'  I should know better than anyone that Vlad Tepes was a monster who'd cut out your heart if given the opportunity!  For God's sake, didn't your parents teach you anything about what life was in our village when Dracula was roaming free?!  Didn't they teach you anything about the fear that they experienced?!  My mother certainly did!"

     "Yes, she did and I'm old enough to remember it first hand," Lysander added, coming in from the hallway.  "And I know that you and I have talked about this before Cander.  You can actually remember that day as well.  Despite how little you were."

     Alcander gave his brother a firm nod.  "That's right.  I can remember Mom holding you and I close to her.  I may have only been two-years-old, but I can remember it, even though she told me years later that, that was the particular incident."  And shifting his eyes back to Brian he added, "And Brian, what you did was bring all those fears back to my mother and everyone else in the village that wants to live in a world where Dracula does not exist!"  Alcander glared at Brian one final time before grabbing his cloak and stomping out of the room.  His older brother hastily followed him.

     Brian sighed and slowly made his way back to his room.  His lip was quivering, and by the time Christian entered his room to invite him to breakfast tears were flowing from his brown eyes, although he did his best to hide them by covering his hand over his face.

     "Brian, what is it?" Christian asked him with a voice full of concern, as he knelt beside him.

     "It's all my fault," he sobbed.  "I'm responsible for bringing Dracula back!"

     "That's nonsense!" Christian replied, placing a hand on his shoulder.  

     "Tell that to your cousins."

     "What?!" Christian exclaimed, curling his hand into a fist as his teeth gritted together.  "What did they say?!"

     "Well, it was mostly Alcander more than Lysander, but Alcander said that I'm responsible for causing the return of fear to every member of our village!"

     "Brian, listen to me," Christian said, again full of compassion.  "You're not responsible for Dracula's return!  For the last twelve years I believe that underground cults have been trying to resurrect Dracula.  You're blood was simply the final piece of the puzzle."

     "Too bad nobody else will understand that."

     "Perhaps not, but I want you to know that.  Look, I'll be honest with you, you made a stupid mistake trusting that man, but then again The Devil is very tempting and his temptations can succeed.  Furthermore, we've all done things we'd rather regret, and Alcander has too."

     "Maybe, but I don't want him or Lysander to know anything that we've talked about."

     "Don't worry, they won't."  Christian patted Brian on the shoulder and added, "Come then!  Let's have breakfast.  You must be starving!"

     "Yes, I am actually."

     "Good so am I."

*

     Christian and Brian spoke to Lysander and Alcander during breakfast as though nothing ever happened.  Lysander had warned Alcander that Brian probably told Christian everything that he had said to him, but neither of them said anything about the incident.

     After breakfast, Christian took Brian outside the inn to train him some more for the upcoming battle with Dracula.  While Christian knew it would be impossible for Brian to ever have the ability that he and his cousins shared he believed that Brian would know just enough to at least save his life.

     After Christian finished with the drills Brian asked him a question that had been on his mind for the last few days.  "Christian, I understand that in a few days we'll arrive at Castle Dracula.  Although I think I'm getting better at using a sword I know that I'll never have the ability to take on Vlad Tepes.  How is it possible that I can help you?"

     "Brian, do you have faith?"

     "You mean in God?"

     Christian nodded.

     "Well…yes."

     "Then that is the most powerful weapon you need.  You see Brian, the monsters inside Dracula's Castle, including Dracula himself, don't fear the sword at your side.  Nor do they really fear my whip for that matter.  Now God on the other hand…that's something they are afraid of.  It's like I told you yesterday.  Prince Dracula has been running from God for almost 350 years.  If faith is your strength, Dracula can be defeated."

     Brian smiled at Christian.  His words seemed to calm his anxiety about entering the Castle.

*

     Christian, Lysander, Alcander, and Brian departed from the village at eleven.  They hoped to reach the next village before sunset.  Fortunately for them, yesterday's snow had not been a heavy snow, and therefore, was not affecting their journey to the next village.  "This next village we visit will be the next to last one before Castle Dracula," Christian told his party.  

     "I honestly wonder what the inside of the Castle is like?" Alcander asked the rest of the party.

     "Mom and Dad didn't talk much about it," responded Lysander.

     "My parents didn't either," added Christian.

     "I remember reading in history books that Vlad Tepes used to impale people within the walls of his castle," interjected Brian.

     "That's correct," Christian replied.  "That's where Vlad Tepes received his nickname 'impaler.'  Interestingly enough, Dracula was at one time a well-loved figure in our country's history, who protected our land from the Muslim Turks."

     "So…what that man told me wasn't completely a lie then?"

     "No, Brian, it wasn't.  He mixed lies in with the truth, but it's true that Dracula was at one time a loved figure in our country, and in other countries I'm sure he's still looked upon that way, because they believe that Vlad Tepes has been dead since 1476.  Furthermore, Brian, I don't believe you are one hundred percent responsible for Dracula's return.  Your blood may have been the final piece of the puzzle, but I believe that ever since Dracula was defeated twelve years ago various underground cults have been trying to bring him back.  Your blood was just the last necessary item."

     "Do you think people from our village would have seen it that way?"

     "Probably not."

     _"Hell no they wouldn't!" thought Lysander and Alcander._

     "Oh…" Brian seemed upset by Christian's response.

     _"As well you should be you pompous little bastard!" the brothers added._

     "Cheer up, though!  I seriously doubt anyone from the village knows anything about what happened, unless your parents decided to brag about it to every citizen."

     "I don't think they would do that."

     "Lets hope not."

     At five in the evening the party reached the next to last village before Castle Dracula.  The party could see the Castle better than at anytime before, and the closer a village is to the Castle, the more nervous its citizens become.  "Sander," Christian began, "why don't you purchase our rooms for the evening, and relax yourself in the tavern?  And if they bartender has opium tell him to save it for us!"

     Lysander laughed.  "Will do, Christian!"  Lysander entered the inn and purchased the rooms for the evening, before making his way into the bar.  He noticed that this bartender had neither pipe nor cigar.  _"Damn," Lysander said to himself, "I hope that the next and last town has a bartender who smokes opium, because I could certainly use it knowing what I have to face!"_

     "What can I get you, sir?" the bartender asked Lysander.

     "I'll have a stout beer," he told him.  "I want to try something different."

     "Just a moment."

     While the bartender was busy pouring Lysander's stout beer a young, petite, woman entered the bar and sat on the barstool next to him.  The young woman had blue eyes and long brown curls, and was wearing a dark blue dress.  She appeared to be Alcander's age, and reminded him for a moment about Jessica.  The young woman noticed Lysander's sword and replied, "Aren't you a little too young to be journeying?"

     "Aren't you a little too young to be drinking?" he shot back with a smile.

     The woman giggled, she had a very beautiful face just like Jessica and his mother.  "Whatever.  I'm fourteen."

     "That's the same age as my brother, and I have to baby-sit him."

     "Oh, yeah right!" she replied giving him a flirtatious smile and a playful punch in the arm.  "You made that up!"

     "So you say," he added.

     _"Damn, he's handsome!" thought the young woman._  "How old are you?"

     "I'm 16, and I already know that you're 14."

     "Yes, that's right," she said with a laugh.  "What's your name?"

     "Lysander, and yours?"

     "I'm Dana."

     "Here's your beer, sir," the bartender replied, placing the beer in front of Lysander.  "What can I get for you, Dana?"

     "I'd just like a glass of white wine."

     "Very well."  The bartender poured the glass of white wine and placed it in front of Dana.

     "So are you traveling alone, or with a party?"

     "With a party," Lysander told her.  "I'm with my younger brother, Alcander, who I mentioned earlier; my cousin, Christian; and another companion called Brian."

     "And what are you on a journey to do?"

     "Well…"

     "Damn, I'm thirsty!" Alcander declared upon entering the bar.

     _"Damn it, Cander!" Lysander said to himself.  "I was starting to enjoy myself being alone with this girl."_

     "Ah, there you are, Sander," Alcander added, approaching the bar with Christian and Brian.  "Who's this with you?"

     "This is Dana, Cander.  I believe she is a resident of this village, correct?"

     "Yes."

     "Dana, let me introduce everyone.  This is my brother, Alcander," Lysander said, gesturing to Alcander, as he did with everyone that he named.  "This is my cousin, Christian.  And this is Brian."

     "Nice to meet you Dana," the three of the said at the same time.

     "Nice to meet all of you as well.  Would you young men like to sit at table instead of the bar?"

     "That's fine with me," replied Lysander.

     "That's fine with us," added the rest of the party.

     Once the five of them ordered drinks, and became comfortable at the table Dana asked them the same question she asked Lysander a few minutes ago.  "Lysander told me that you're on a journey.  Just what exactly is your journey?"

     "Well, Dana," Lysander began, "you know that castle that you can see in the distance?"

     Dana gasped and crossed herself.  "Yes?"

     "We're here to make it crumble back to the ground!"

     "Are you crazy!" she exclaimed, while the other members in the party motioned her to keep her voice down.  "That's the home of Vlad the Impaler!" she exclaimed again, only quieter.

     "We know that, Dana," replied Christian, "but we also know that it's our destiny to destroy Dracula."

     "How do you know it's your destiny?"

     "Because our ancestors did it once before."

     "Ancestors?"

     "Yes.  I'm Christian Belmont, son of Richter Belmont.  My two cousins are Lysander and Alcander Tepes, the sons of Adrian Tepes."

     "And I'm pretty much along for the ride," Brian said, interjecting himself into the conversation.

     Lysander and Alcander responded to Brian's statement by squinting their eyes.  _"God, I wish he would just go away!" they added._

     Christian laughed.  "Yes, Brian's pretty much along for the ride.  He's not related to us, but he has faith."

     _"Yeah, and his faith should've told him that Dracula was bad," thought the Tepes brothers._

     "This is amazing!" Dana exclaimed.  "I remember my parents talking about Richter Belmont and Adrian Tepes, but I never believed that I'd be in the same bar with their family members!"

     "Would you have also ever believed that Adrian Tepes's son is going to buy you a drink?" Lysander asked her.

     "Huh?" she replied, confused.

     "Barkeep, give Miss Dana a drink will ya?"

     "Yes, sir," the bartender replied.

     Dana continued to fix her blue eyes and smile.

     "Well, Dana," Christian began, forcing her to cease staring at Lysander; "I know that it's getting late, and I'm sure that the sun has set.  Shouldn't you be going home?  I'm sure your parents are worried."

     "My parents passed away three years ago due to a bad fever that the doctors couldn't seem to cure.  I went to live with my grandmother, but she too passed away.  So now I'm on my own."

     "Oh…I'm very sorry to hear that."

     "It's all right, Christian.  I've accepted it, and moved on with my life.  I was actually planning on leaving this village and visiting different parts of our country, but with the return of Dracula's Castle my plans have been stopped."

     "Well, they won't be after we defeat him!" Lysander declared.

     "You sure are confident Lysander," she responded, returning her smile to him.

     "You have to be confident to do what we're doing."  

     The members of the party continued to talk with Dana until one by one they departed for their room leaving Lysander alone with Dana.  "Well, Dana, I think I should turn in as well, but would you like me to walk you home?"

     "No, Lysander…"

     "But Dana!  It's dark, and he's out there!"

     "I understand that Lysander."  She paused for a moment to gaze her blue eyes into his brown eyes.  "Lysnader, is there a spare bed in your room?"

     "I don't know.  I haven't even visited my room yet.  Why don't we go and find out?"  Lysander tipped the bartender before he and Dana left the bar to visit his room.

     When the two entered the room Lysander noticed that there was only one bed.  "I'm sorry Dana, but there's only one bed in my room."

     "That's all right," she said, smiling at him, and putting her arms around his neck.  "Do you mind if we share it?"

     Lysander smiled back at her, and presented her with a kiss.  "Of course not!"  Lysander wrapped his arms around Dana's waist, and Dana began to softly kiss his neck.  

     Lysander purred with each kiss, and Dana started to giggle.  "You sound just like a kitten.  That's so sweet!"

     "Not as sweet as it can be," Lysander told her, while he moved his hands up her dress.  

     Lysander purred louder, but Dana became nervous.  "Lysander, I've never known a man before, and…"

     "You know one now," Lysander said, cutting her off.

     "But…I don't want to become pregnant."

     "You won't," Lysander replied, whispering into her ear, before he started kissing her neck and motioning his hands to remove the stings from her corset.  With each string Lysander removed, Dana removed a button from Lysander's pants.  After Dana's corset was un-tied and Lysander's pants un-buttoned, their next move was for shirts and dresses until they were eventually completely nude and making love on Lysander's rented bed, without any cares in the world save two: no babies to follow and no disturbances from a younger brother, older cousin, or unwanted party member.


	9. Before the Castle

New Generation

Chapter IX

_Alexander the Great,  
his name struck fear into hearts of men.  
Alexander the Great,  
became a god amongst mortal men_-

"Alexander the Great"-Iron Maiden

     Around eight o'clock the next morning Alcander was returning to his room after a brief visit to the bottom floor of the inn when he happened to catch Dana leaving his brother's bedroom.  Dana did not walk in his direction, but instead walked in the opposite direction to one of the inn's other exits.  Curious as to her visit, Alcander knocked on his brother's bedroom door.

     When Lysander opened the door with a beaming smile on his face.  "Good morning, Cander."

     "Good morning, Sander.  I noticed Dana left your room a few minutes ago, and she left to one of the other exits in the inn.  What did she want?"

     "See just wanted to say 'bye.'"

     "How did she go home last night?  She was still here when I finally decided to go to bed.  Did you take her home?"

     "I offered to, but she refused.  She spent the night with me instead," Lysander added with a big smile.

     "She did!?"

     "Yes, Cander, she did."

     "Did you…"

     "Have sex with her?" he replied with a broad grin.  "Sure did."

     "Bullshit!" exclaimed Alcander.  He found it hard to believe that Lysander could meet a girl for the first time and end up sleeping with her.

     Lysander laughed.  "No, no bullshit about it.  I took her right there on that bed," he added, pointing to his bed.

     "Well then…" Alcander began, trying to overcome the shock of his brother's revelation; "I guess that means I can have Jessica now."

     "What makes you think that?" Lysander asked, maintaining his grin

     "Well, I'd say you're with Dana and…"

     "I wouldn't say that I'm with her.  We had one night of romance, but it may never go anywhere from that point on."

     "You think she might have any regrets?"

     "Maybe, but I won't."

     "How do you know?"

     "Because that's a woman thing, not a man's…well, there is one exception to that rule that I can think of."

     "What's that?"

     "Dad told me once he had regrets."

     "You mean after being with Mom?"

     "No, I mean he had some regrets after he found out she was pregnant with you."

     "Oh, shut up, asshole!" Alcander replied, while he playfully punched his brother in the arm.

     Lysander playfully shoved his brother back, and the two brothers laughed until their older cousin entered the room.

     "Hey Sander, Cander, lets have breakfast before we depart to the last town in our journey."

     "All right, Christian," responded Alcander.  "We'll be downstairs in a few minutes."  And returning to his brother he asked him, "Sander, you said a few minutes ago that you wouldn't have any regrets, but what if Dana happened to become pregnant?"

     "She won't."

     "How do you know?"

     "Because I used the technique that I overheard Dad talk about when Mom used to tell him that she didn't want to have anymore children."

     "You did that?!" Alcander exclaimed.

     "Yes."

     "And she let you?"

     "She did."

     "Damn!  I thought you also said that you overheard Dad say that Mom wouldn't allow him to do it?"

     "He did say that, but Dana let me."

     "Damn!"

     "Hey, both of you!" Christian said, interrupting them again.  "We need to have breakfast now, because I want to drill Brian a little more before we leave for the final town."

     "All right, we're going downstairs right now!" declared Lysander.

*

     After the four had breakfast, and Christian drilled Brian for an hour, the party set out for the village that sits at the base of Castle Dracula.  "I wonder why sometimes," Brian began, "why people would build a village right below the Castle?"

     "The village was probably there before The Castle was," Christian replied.  "Additionally, despite that, Vlad Tepes was not always a vampire."

     "Speaking of the Castle," Lysander said, interjecting himself into the conversation, "I thought that I might have overheard Dad say something years ago that when Dracula came back twelve years ago that the Castle did not appear right away.  Yet this time the Castle immediately returned.  I don't understand that."

     "Neither do I," replied Alcander, "but then again I guess there's a lot of things that I'll never understand."

     "That goes with all of us," Christian responded.

     Brian offered no comment to the discussion between the Belmont and Tepes relatives.  He only looked straight ahead on the Borgo Pass road.  He refused to raise his eyes and look at the Castle that was growing larger and larger with every step the horse took.  Eventually his eyes spotted something that was a lot more refreshing, a cross.  "Hey, is that the town right there?" he asked, pointing to the cross.

     "Yes, Brian," replied Christian, "that is the town, and that town is unique.  For in the walls of that town have slept not only my parents, but also my ancestors Simon, Trevor, and Leon Belmont.  There is a lot of Belmont history within the walls of that village."

     "I guess that's also where Dad stayed when he traveled with Uncle Richter?" said Alcander.

     "Yes," Christian responded.  "That was also the community where your father received the praise along with my father for destroying Dracula."  

     "Hopefully the same will happen with us," added Brian.

     "Yes, Brian," Christian replied.  "So long as our faith is strong, we shall be the last ones standing."

     When the four entered the village Christian decided to send Brian in this time to purchase the rooms while he, Lysander, and Alcander placed the horses in the stable.  Inside the stable Christian said, "we'll have to pay the innkeeper to keep them here for us."

     "Why?" asked Lysander.  "Aren't we going to ride them up the hill to the Castle's entrance?"

     "No," replied Christian.  "There is nowhere to secure them, and it's not safe.  Dracula's fiends would slaughter them within moments of tying them up."

     "Christian," Alcander began, "on foot how long will it take us to reach the Castle's entrance?"

     "It will be a good couple of hours," he told them; "but at least we'll be entering while there's still daylight."

     "Well, the horses are secure.  Shall we go inside now, Christian?" asked Lysander.

     "Yes, Sander, we shall."

     Inside the inn's tavern the three found Brian sipping brandy at the bar, and noticed that the bartender was smoking opium.  _"Opium!" the three exclaimed to themselves._

     "Excuse me sir," Lysander began, approaching the bartender; "would you mind if we took a small puff of your pipe, because it would certainly make us feel better?"

     "By all means, sir," the bartender replied.  "I'm smoking some for the same reason.  The appearance of Castle Dracula makes the citizens of this town very nervous, including myself.  I won't leave my house to go home at night ever since the Castle returned.  I've been sleeping on a cot in the back room."

     "Well, at least you've got plenty of liquor in that back room," joked Alcander.

     "Yes, but if I drink the profits, I'll lose my job."

     "Good point," Alcander added, while the bartended presented his pipe to each member of the party to take one puff of it.  

     After Christian, Lysander, Alcander, and Brian were put in a perfect state of utopia the bartender prepared their drinks and said to them, "I can see by how you're dressed you're going on a journey.  Where are you headed?"

     Christian took a sip of his liquor and said, "To destroy the Castle that places its shadow on this village."

     The bartender almost dropped his pipe at Christian's words.  "Reeally?"

     "Yes, sir," replied Christian.  "We're here to destroy the owner of that Castle."

     The bartender eyed Christian and asked him, "You're not a Belmont, are you?"

     Christian nodded.  "Yes, I am.  I'm Christian Belmont, son of Richter Belmont," and gesturing to each member in his party he added, "these are my cousins Lysander and Alcander Tepes.  They are the sons of my uncle, Adrian Tepes.  This other gentleman is our companion, Brian Falkner."

     The bartender smiled.  "Well, there's always one thing God will do for this village."

     "What's that?" asked Christian.

     "Whenever evil is lurking on our door He sends a Belmont to face it for us."

     Christian smiled at the bartender's remark and added, "I believe that God brought all of us here.  The last couple of times that Dracula has returned God has sent my uncle to help my father, now God has sent my cousins to help me."  And not wanting to leave Brian out he added, "And Brian, you're here to serve a special purpose with us."

     "What do you think that is?" asked Brian.

     "I don't know yet, but I've watched you improve everyday when I drill you.  You're certainly worthy to follow us into battle."

     Brian smiled at the senior member of his party and said, "Thank you, Christian."

     "You're welcome, Brian."  Christian then took a moment to look at everyone's glass and noticed that they were empty.  "Looks like we could all use one more drink.  Barkeep, serve us another round!"

     The bartender poured the drinks that Christian requested, but when Christian tried to pay him the bartender placed the money back into Christian's hand.  "No charge, Mr. Belmont.  For your service, and for the service of your ancestors this drink is on the house."

*

     At ten o'clock the next morning the party attended Mass at St. Mary's church and received the sacraments of penance and Eucharist, before climbing the long slope to Castle Dracula  "I wonder what the inside of the Castle is like?" asked Brian.

     "Dad always said that the interior of Castle Dracula can change," Lysander told him.

     "Right," added Alcander, "the only thing in the Castle that is constantly the same is Dracula's throne room, which is on the sixth level of the Castle."

     "Well, I haven't been inside the Castle for sixteen years, and what memories I have, I don't want to remember," responded Christian.  

     When the four finally reached the Castle entrance Christian turned to them and said, "if you guys would with me," and he gave the Sign of the Cross, which everyone followed.  "Lord, may our courage and strength in you be unwavering.  Amen."  The party then closed with the Sign of the Cross and entered the Castle.  


	10. Welcome to Castle Dracula

New Generation

Chapter X

_Close the door, put out the light.  
You know they won't be coming home tonight.  
The snow falls hard and don't you know,  
the winds of Thor are blowing cold?  
There're wearing steel that's bright and true.  
They carry news that must get through.  
They choose a path where no one goes.  
They hold no quarter.  They ask no quarter._

_Walking side by side with death.  
The Devil mocks our every step.  
The snow drives back the foot that's slow.  
The dogs of doom are howling more.  
They carry news that must get through.  
To build a dream for me and you.  
They chose a path where no one goes.  
They hold no quarter.  They ask no quarter._-

"No Quarter"-Led Zeppelin

     "Gentlemen, secure your weapons," Christian told them, as he grasped the blessed whip from his belt.  Lysander, Alcander, and Brian followed suit and drew their swords.  With everyone prepared Christian directed them to the large castle door

     As Christian approached the large iron door it slowly creaked open.  "I suppose that's our invitation to enter," said the sarcastic Lysander.

     "Yeah, you could say that," replied his brother.

     The four young men, full of courage, entered the large stone structure; and when they were securely inside the Castle's walls the iron door closed behind them with a powerful thud.  "This is our destiny, Gentlemen," Christian declared.  "Let us not falter from our mission."  

     The rays of the sun emitted their glow through the Castle's dimly lit windows.  On the walls hanged a few portraits for Vlad Tepes in triumph over the foes of Christendom, the family's seal of the dragon, and a few lit torches.  The Castle's floor had a beautiful bright red rug.  "Prince Tepes must be giving us his royal welcome," said Lysander with even more sarcasm.  

     On the Castle's ceiling was a large and bright chandelier.  Brian couldn't help but fix his eyes upon it, which was fortunate because he watched the chandelier sway, and shouted the words "Get to the walls!" when he noticed that the chandelier was preparing to fall.  The chandelier fell from the ceiling with an incredible force, leaving plenty of dust in its wake.

     "Shit!" Alcander exclaimed.  "We would've had one hell of a time trying to get that thing off of us!"

     "Yes we would've," Christian said before turning to smile at Brian.  "And it's thanks to Brian that such a thing didn't happen."

     Lysander and Alcander looked at Brian for the first time in a different light.  Brian possibly saved their lives by warning them about the chandelier.  Both of them thanked him for what he had done, but Alcander felt obligated to say more.  "Brian," he began, "I just want to let you know that I'm sorry about what I said to you at that inn.  I think I was slightly out of line, so again, I'm sorry." 

     Brian smiled back at him, but his moment of glory was short-lived when his eyes noticed a sort of shadowy figures.  "What are those?!" he exclaimed, pointing to the shadows.

     "Evil spirits, servants of Dracula," Christian replied, cracking the whip.  "If I remember exactly what my Dad told me he said one good crack with the whip and they will be no more, let the same hold true for your blades."  The party charged toward the shadow creatures, but Christian chose to remain close to Brian just in case he ran into any trouble, since he had the least amount of training with a sword.  Fortunately, this was an easy battle.  One crack of the whip, and one slice of the blades was enough to crumble these particular shadow monsters.

     After the battle Alcander was beginning to wonder, "If Jessica is here, where do you think she is?"

     "Probably not on this floor," Christian told him.  "Probably on the fifth floor…or maybe even in his throne room."

     "Well, I'm committed to check every single room in this Castle to find her, including that room right there," replied Alcander, as he marched to a door.

     "Cander be careful!" exclaimed Christian, as his cousin opened the door to reveal a large skeleton swinging a sword.  The skeleton attempted to leave a large scar on Alcander's face, but Alcander's quick instincts allowed to push the door back into the skeleton's body, knocking him to the ground, and giving Alcander the moment he needed the sever the skeleton's head from his torso.

     "Damn it, Cander!" Lysander shouted, furious of his brother's ignorance.  "Make sure to wait for all of us next time!  You could've been killed!"

     "Sorry about that," Alcander replied, acknowledging his guilt.  "I guess I let my emotions have the better of me."

     "Don't worry about it," Lysander added, wrapping an arm around his brother's shoulder.  "I want to see her again too, but we have to be careful.  We'll check every room, but lets check them together."

     Alcander nodded.  "Yes, Sander.  Lets do that."

     The four continued to walk side-by-side on the red carpet of the Castle's first floor, hoping for no more random encounters, and believing that they would not encounter any so long as the sun continued to shine its light upon the earth.  "Christian, how long do you think it will take us to reach Dracula's chamber?" Brian asked.

     "I don't know.  When Dad faced Dracula he said it took a couple of hours, but he didn't have the sun as his ally."

     "Monsters in the castle are hurt by the sunlight?"

     "I wouldn't really say that they are 'hurt' but it, but some do grow weaker because of it."

     "Hey!" Alcander shouted.  "There's a staircase with a door at the top!"

     "That must be the door to the second floor," replied Lysander.

     "Quite right!" declared a voice from the shadows adjacent to the door.  The windows of the Castle immediately closed, dimming the sunlight that was already faint inside the Castle.  Now the Castle's only light were the torches on the wall.  Wherever the voice was coming from it was followed by a loud 'clang.'  Eventually the 'clanging' sound revealed itself to be what appeared a knight from the Middle Ages, dressed in full-plated armor.  "Those who wish to go through that door must first pass through me!" the knight declared displaying his sword, as he descended the stairs.  Christian, Lysander, Alcander, and Brian flashed their weapons; and Brian, being the most nervous, gave the Sign of the Cross.  "You'd better hope that God of yours is with you," replied the knight when it noticed Brian's gesture.

     "God was with my ancestors, and He is with us now!" replied Christian, as he cracked his whip at the knight's torso.  Christian's attack failed, and the knight attempted a counter-attack.  But Brian, who was standing beside Christian, remembered what Christian taught him about 'parry-and-dodge.'  Brian raised his sword to block the knight's blade, which allowed an opportunity for Alcander to attack the knight off guard.  Leaping into the air, Alcander struck a powerful blow across the knight's neck.  Alcander's blow was powerful enough that it severed the knight's helmet from its armor, leaving no trace of a body.  With one piece of its armor gone, the knight as a whole simply collapsed.

     "There was no body in that armor!" exclaimed Brian.

     "No, that knight was created by Dracula's power, as are most of his minions," Christian told him.  "Once one part of his armor was destroyed, the rest of him simply fell.  But you, Brian, did very well in your first major battle.  That monster was a worthy adversary, and you blocked his blow with perfection."

     "Yes, you did," Lysander and Alcander replied unanimously.

     "Thank you," Brian said with a smile.

     "No need to thank us, Brian," added Christian.  "Thank yourself."

     Brian continued to smile, but Alcander said, "Come!  Let us hurry to the second floor.  Jessica may be there!"     


	11. Diary of a Madman

New Generation

Chapter XI

_A sickened mind and spirit,  
the mirror tells me lies.  
Could I mistake myself for someone  
who lived behind my eyes?  
Will he escape my soul?  
Or will he live in me?  
Is he trying to get out?_

_Or trying to enter me?_-

"Diary of a Madman"-Ozzy Osbourne

     At the top of the stairs Lysander, Alcander, and Brian drew their swords while Christian opened the door to the second floor.  Fortunately there was no threat on the other side, and the party entered.  The second floor was a little more charming than the first.  This floor was home to the Castle's library, and Alcander's interest in history was especially re-kindled once he noticed all the books on the shelves.  When Christian noticed his cousin grabbing books from the shelves he had a vivid flash of imagination where a demon from the netherworld leapt from the pages and tried to slay his youngest cousin.  "Cander, what in God's name do you think you're doing?!" Christian hissed.

     "I'm just looking at the books," Alcander said, grabbing and returning books to the shelves.

     "This is NOT the time to look at books!  Don't you realize where we are?  We're in Castle Dracula!  The evilest place on the earth!"

     Alcander, however, reverted back to his childhood attitude that sometimes involved ignoring his older cousin.   "Here's one-it's all torn to shreds."

     Christian was about to grab his cousin by the arm and pull him away until he too became interested in the book that Alcander held, for the book was not just any book, but a sacred text.  "Look at the pieces of paper that dropped from the book and you'll see why," Christian said, pointing to the scattered pages on the floor.

     Alcander picked up one the pieces of paper from the floor and realized that it was the opening of St. Matthew's Gospel.  "I guess the Bible wasn't a very popular book in the Castle," Alcander said sarcastically.

     "Hey everyone!" Lysander exclaimed.  "Look at this!  It's a 'thank you' letter from the Pope."

     "The current pope?" Brian asked.

     "No stupid!  Pope Pius II from the 15th century wrote a letter to Prince Vlad Tepes."

     "What does it say?" asked Alcander.

     "It says: _Dear Most Venerable Prince Vlad Tepes,_

_     I want to thank you for your victory over the Turks, which is also a victory for Christianity.  You did a great service to the Christian world by protecting our faith, regardless of it being Catholic or Orthodox.  I hope that perhaps one day I can use your service in an attempt to restore Christendom with those in your community that broke away from me in the Schism.  _

_     Peace with you in Christ,_

_     Pope Pius II_  

     I'm almost surprised he didn't tear this up."

     "Perhaps it didn't mean as much to him as the Bible," replied Christian.

     "What the hell?" exclaimed a flabbergasted Alcander.

     "What is it Cander?" asked his older brother.

     "Look at that, Sander," Alcander said pointing to the wall.

     Lysander motioned his eyes to the wall to see what caught Alcander's attention.  On the wall was a portrait of a lovely woman with blonde hair, green eyes, and beautiful porcelain face.  "She looks so familiar," Lysander said.

     "She looks like the portrait of the woman in our house that Dad says is his mother," Alcander replied.

     "Yeah, she does look kind of like her."

     "Well, you two are related in some way to Vlad the Impaler, aren't you?" asked Brian.

     "Yes," replied Lysander, "but that portrait is almost identical to the painting of the woman in our home that our Dad says is his mother, and Dad always told us that our relationship with Vlad the Impaler was too far back to consider."

     Christian said nothing.  He knew the truth.  The women in the painting that Lysander and Alcander saw was Adrian's mother and their grandmother, but he remembered what his uncle told him, and would honor his word.  "Everyone, we can't stand here worrying about books and paintings of the past.  We have a mission to take care of!  We must destroy the lord of this Castle!"  
     Everyone in the team nodded.  "You're right Christian," Alcander said sternly.  "We've got a job to do, and a girl to find!"

     "You seem to want her to be here, don't you Cander?" his older brother asked sarcastically.

     "Huh?"

     "You want her here so you can be the big hero and all when you rescue her," teased Lysander

     "I do not!  I just want her safe!" Alcander said defensively.

     "Come on!  Both of you!" Christian replied, with the tone of a leader.  

     "All right, we're coming!" Lysander and Alcander said unanimously, as they followed their older cousin and Brian.  The library seemed almost too quiet for them.  They faced not one encounter.  Not one unwanted encounter.  Alcander was keeping a lookout for possible hidden places where Dracula may have decided to hide Jessica, but all he saw was a bunch of bookshelves.

     When the four finally found the staircase to the third level without the presence of a guard Christian exhaled loudly, and removed the sweat from his brow.  "I think that we're lucky," he said, but his luck was short lived, when a large bookcase moved on its own from the wall to block the entrance.  "Oh, shit!" came the next word from Christian's lips before the books from the bookshelf seemed to come alive and leave the bookshelf on their own. 

     The books circled the party, and their pages opened to reveal a large number of red-scaly goblins with wretched faces and sharp claws.  The goblins lunged at the party, but fell to the fate of Christian's whip and Lysander, Alcander, and Brian's swords.  Unfortunately for the team the battle was not yet over, for after those goblins were defeated another group of goblins arrived to take their place.  "Destroying the goblins won't do any good!" Christian screamed over a din of scaly goblins.

     "Neither will not destroying them!" yelled Alcander, as he stabbed and punched the goblins away from him.  "We either kill them or they kill us!"

     "And they will kill us if we keep fighting them like this!" Christian exclaimed cracking his whip while sweat dripped along his face.  "We have to destroy their source."

     "And how do you plan on…doing that, Christian?" panted Lysander.  "We can't get past the goblins long enough to get to the bookshelf."

     "I have a plan," Christian said, as he fought off another round of goblins, "but I need your help."

     "What do you want me to do?" Lysander asked, twitching his nose in disgust.  Goblin blood had splattered on his face with almost each successful kill.

     "See those candles on that table over there?" Christian asked, pointing to the table.

     "Yes."

     "When you can break the circle, charge to that table and set its cloth on fire.  Then toss the burning cloth over to me.  If it lands on a few goblins' heads then so be it.  Then I will charge to the bookshelf and set it on fire."  And after completing his sentence Christian had to dodge a pair of sharp claws, and counter attack by cracking a few goblin skulls.

     "But how will you be able to break through the swarm of goblins?" Lysander asked, as he dodged some Goblin claws before running them through.

     "That's where Cander and Brian will come in.  Did you two hear what I was asking Sander?"

     "Yes," they panted, while continuing to fight on.

     "Good.  After he hands me the cloth make me a path."

     "All right!" they replied.  Lysander's blade was soaked in goblin blood when he finally found an open path to charge to the table and set its cloth on fire.  "Toss it Sander!" Christian shouted, while still fighting goblins with his hand held high in the air.  Lysander decapitated a few more goblins before tossing the burning cloth to his cousin.  Luck was on their side because Lysander made a perfect throw, and Christian made a perfect catch.  

     From the table that Lysander stood upon he was kicking goblins in the face and slicing more of them to pieces with his father's sword.  Finally he raised a crucifix that he'd been carrying since the journey began.  The goblins screeched at the sight of the crucified Christ and ran in terror.  Christian noticed the events with his cousin, and decided to raise the Consecrated Host.  The goblins immediately fled in terror at the appearance of Christ in the Eucharist, and when Christian approached the bookshelf it too moved away to allow Christian and his party safe passage.  Christian motioned his cousins and Brian to enter first, but before he followed them he threw the burning cloth into the cursed bookshelf, forcing it to burst into flames.  The demon inside the shelf screamed in Christian's wake, as he slowly followed his companions up the stairs.  The four of them decided to stop for a moment and have a drink of water from their flasks.

     "Christian," Brian began, "why didn't we just use the Eucharist before?"

     "I didn't think it would be effective since there was so many of them.  I thought one of them could have knocked it loose from our hands.  Besides the Eucharist is saved for the one person who fears it the most."

     "You mean Dracula?"

     "Yes, there is no safety for him when he sees the Body of Christ."

     "Is that why it has so much power over creatures of evil?"

     Christian and his cousins chuckled, and Christian placed his arm on Brian's shoulder.  "Brian, you're catching on to the art of vampire hunting rather quickly."    

     


	12. Welcome to the house of God

New Generation

Chapter XII

_Glory be to the Father,  
to the Son,  
and to the Holy Spirit.  
As it was in the beginning is now  
and ever shall be  
world without end.  Amen_-

The Doxology (ancient Christian prayer)

     "Prepare yourselves," Christian informed the members of his party, as he grasped the blessed whip.  The other members of the party unsheathed their swords while Brian pulled back on the large iron door to the third level of the Castle.  Fortunately there was no opposition on the other side, only the broken remains of a sanctuary.  What was once a church was left desecrated.  Pews were broken, with the torn pages of prayer books and hymnals scattered along their remains.   A smashed altar, with a crucifix placed on its rubble that had the head of Christ removed from its shoulders.  And finally, an icon with a dagger inserted into the throat of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

     "This must be the royal chapel," Lysander said, as he entered the chapel.

     "Or what at one time was a chapel," replied Christian.

     "Hey!" exclaimed Alcander.  "Isn't this the place where Dad fought Shaft?"

     "Who's Shaft?" asked Brian.

     "He was a former priest who turned his back on the Church to serve Dracula.  Uncle Adrian fought and defeated Shaft inside the Tepes family chapel twelve years ago."

     "Quite right!" exclaimed an unseen masculine voice.

     "Who's there?!" exclaimed Christian, cracking his whip.

     "No one to be concerned with."

     "Everyone in this castle is someone to be concerned with!" Lysander exclaimed.

     The voice chuckled.  "You certainly are a wise one young Lysander Tepes.  I can see that you inherited some of the traits of your ancestors."

     "Maybe it's Vlad the Impaler?" whispered Brian.

      Again the voice chuckled.  "No, this is not Vlad Tepes, but he is at home waiting to see you…if you make it that far that is."

     "Where's Jessica?!" Alcander demanded.

     "Jessica?" the voice replied.  "Jessica?  Jessica?  I'm sorry my young Alcander Tepes, but I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about."

     "You know exactly what I'm talking about you bloody bastard!"

     "Now, now, Mr. Tepes.  Talking like that never got anyone anywhere with me."

     "Who are you?" again demanded Alcander.  "Show yourself!" 

     The voice chuckled for the third time.  "Well, I really had no desire to expose my identity, but since you're so determined to see me I suppose that I shall grant your request."  After the voice finished his sentence the party noticed the quiet sound of feet rapping on broken stones at the far-left corner of the church.  Emerging from the shadows was a man dressed all in black.  No one in the party recognized him, all but one.

     "That's him!" exclaimed Brian.  "That's the man who tricked me!"

     The man laughed.  "Yes, I certainly did, and you were stupid enough to fall for it."

     Alcander slowly approached the man with drawn sword.  "Once again, tell me where Jessica is or I'll cut your bloody throat!"

     The man now roared in laughter.  "All right Alcander, I'll give you the opportunity to cut my throat, but before you do would you at least wait until I really show myself?"

     _"What the hell does that mean?" thought the party._

The man responded to the party's question by placing his palms over one another.  His flesh started to peal away, revealing nothing more than bones and the foul stench of death.  His black clothes turned into long dark robes, with a hood covering his face.  Only he had no face, at least not one with flesh.  Then the monster gestured his arm, and large scythe descended into in his hand.  "This is my true form!" he declared, and returning his gaze to Alcander, whose right leg twitched with fear, "and now, Mr. Tepes I grant you permission to cut my throat."  Sweat dripped along Alcander's cheeks, and his leg continued to twitch.  He was terrified, but was not about to give into that fear.  Still, Death was able to sense the fear in Alcander's eyes.  "Such a pity," he chuckled, "your father never displayed such fear when he faced me."

     "I'm not afraid of you!"

     Death only laughed.  "Then why are you sweating?  Why won't your leg stop shaking?  Face it Alcander, you're just a pathetic little boy who longs for his mother's touch.  But don't feel too bad, your companions aren't much better." 

     Alcander did not even bother to face his companions.  He was terrified of the monster, yes, but he was not about to let him defeat him.  He swallowed a heavy lump in his throat and stepped forward, a move that frightened his companions.  "Alcander, what are you doing?!" they shouted.  But Alcander did not respond to their calls.  Instead he tightly gripped his sword, sweat dripping from his palms, and continued to march forward.  "Cander!" shouted Lysander.

     "Don't bother me, Sander!  I know what I'm doing!" he exclaimed with a voice full of determination.

     Death chuckled at the prospect of whatever ideas Alcander had.

     Lysander, not convinced by his brother's words, prepared to leap forward and pull him back, but Christian stopped him.  "Christian!  What are you doing?!" Lysander screeched, very upset that his older cousin stopped him from rescuing his brother.  

     "Lysander, trust your brother," he declared, while maintaining a tight grip on his whip, just in case.

     Alcander slowly lowered his sword, with sweat dripping from his brow, and raised the crucifix from around his neck.  Death was immediately repelled by the image.  He screeched at Alcander, and attempted to swat him away with his scythe, which Alcander was quick to dodge.  Christian tried a counterattack against Death, but the monster levitated itself away from the cracking whip; turning itself into a cloud of black smoke and disappearing from the chapel altogether.    

     "Did he ascend to the next floor?" asked Brian.

     "I don't think so," replied Christian.  "The next floor I believe is the Castle's courtyard, and with the sun's still shinning it's doubtful that he would fight us there.  He's probably on the fifth floor."

     "The floor right before Dracula's lair?" asked Brian again.

     "Yes, he'll probably guard it.  Brian?"

     "Yes?"

     "When we eventually fight Death we'll be fighting the most dangerous of Dracula's servants.  I must ask you again, is your faith strong?"

     "Yes."

     "Then that will be your most important weapon against Death."


	13. Seasons don't fear the Reaper

New Generation

Chapter XIII

_Seasons don't fear the Reaper,  
nor do the winds, the sun, or the rain_-

"Don't Fear the Reaper"-Blue Oyster Cult

     "Brian," Christian said with a tight grip on his whip, "open the door."  Brian nodded and slowly pulled back the heavy wooden door.  Lysander and Alcander remained at their cousin's side with weapons drawn, but on the other side they met the gentle glow of the sun in the Castle's courtyard.

     The sun was bright, but in the west.  "The sun will be gone in an hour, an hour and a half at most," Christian said.  "We don't have much time."

     "Then let us make…" started Lysander, before coming to an abrupt stop.  Something had caught his eye.  "What the hell?  Cander take a look at this!"

     "What is it, Sander?" Alcander asked, as he approached his brother.

     "Look at this statue!" Lysander exclaimed, pointing to a statue that was on a small stone pedestal in the Castle's courtyard.

     Alcander gazed at the statue.  The statue was that of a male, who was dressed in very late 15th century clothing.  While weathering had certainly taken a toll on its features, the face could still be identified.  Whomever the man was he had long hair, eyes that appeared to stare deep into the soul, and a perfectly shaped nose and chin.  Women from his time probably would have described his face as 'beautiful,' but Alcander was not interested in the face's beauty.  To him, the face represented a close paternal relative…a VERY close personal relative.  "Damn!  The face in that statue looks a lot like Dad!  …Hey!  There's a name carved at its base."

     "What does it say?" asked his brother.

     "It says, 'Alucard Tepes.'  Must've been an ancestor of ours."

     "Christian," Lysander said, turning to his cousin; "don't you think the person in that statue looks a lot like Dad?"

     Christian stared at the statue's features, even though he knew it was absolutely unnecessary.  "Yes, he looks a little like Uncle Adrian," Christian told them, although he did not want to tell Lysander and Alcander the truth, "but we don't have time to worry about statues of the past.  We have the possibility that we might reach Dracula's lair before the sun sets."

     "Understood," Lysander replied.

     "Same here," added Alcander.

     "Shall we proceed to the fifth floor, Christian?" asked Brian.

     "Yes, Brian; and Brian?"

     "Yes?"

     "Remember that on this floor we'll probably face Death itself.  One of the most dangerous monsters of the netherworld."

     Brian nodded and replied, "Yes, I understand."

     "Good," then he gestured his eyes to everyone in the party.  "May our faith in God be unwavering for we shall need it for this battle."   

*

     When Christian, Lysander, Alcander, and Brian reached the door to the Castle's fifth entrance Christian informed everyone to be on their guard.  At Christian's request Brian opened the wooden door for the Castle's fifth entrance.  On the other side of this door was some competition in the form of possessed corpses, with the foul odor of flesh slowly rotting away from their bodies.  The corpses snarled at the party, while holding their rusted swords.  Christian snapped his whip at the corpses, shattering their bones, while Lysander, Alcander, and Brian eliminated their bony heads with a quick slice of their swords.  "I think that we may meet more opposition here than at any other level in the Castle," Christian said after the battle.

     "Possibly, but that's not our only problem," informed Lysander.  "Look at the hallway we have to enter.  There's hardly any light.  How are we going to see anything?"

     "Yeah, not only can we not see the monsters, but we might not be able to see a room where Jessica may be held captive," added Alcander.

     "Do we have anything we could make for a torch?" asked Brian.

     "No," Christian responded.  "Unless you want to give up your shirt, which would be suicide in a cold, damp, place like this."

     "So what do we do then?" asked Lysander.

     "We shall use the light of the world."

     "Light of the world?" asked Brian.  "What's that?"

     Christian responded to Brian's question by removing a piece of the Host from its container.  "The same light that helped us before.  Please follow me, but keep your weapons at your side.  The Eucharist may be very powerful, but it does not mean that we still cannot be attacked."   

     Christian held the Host above his head, and started to act like a priest by chanting the words of the ancient Easter prayer, to which Lysander, Alcander, and Brian added the response "thanks be to God."  The Host that was held tightly in Christian's hands began to illuminate a light to guide the party through darkness.  It appeared as though the light from the Host was granting them safe passage.  At Christian's side Lysander, Alcander, and Brian watched Dracula's minions cower away at them due to the power of the Eucharist.  Brian noticed one minion who appeared almost human, and very terrified, cowering in fear; and Brian thought he heard this minion say almost in agony, "It's Christ!  It's Christ!"

     Finally the party came across a door.  Alcander wondered if the door possibly led to a room that housed Jessica or Death's lair.  Once again at Christian's request, Brian pulled back on the door, opening it to reveal a circle of torches.  Christian cautiously entered the room, still holding the Host high above his head.  The room contained a slight chill that the torches did little to fight.  Despite its chill, the room appeared empty.  Alcander scanned the room hoping to find a sign of Jessica, but instead found nothing.  

     "Christian!" Brain shouted, as he pointed to a door.  "Is that the door to Dracula's lair?"

     "Yes," Christian began, as he returned the Host to its container; "and we are lucky that we…"

     Christian was cut off by Death hastily descending from the ceiling.  The monster had been hiding in the shadows.  Hiding away from the power of the Eucharist that Christian decided to put away.  With the Host away it attacked Christian, sending him to the floor.  Death attempted to strike a powerful blow on Christian with its scythe, but Christian's party members repelled the beast by sprinkling it with holy water.  

     Death gritted its bony teeth together, and raised its heavy scythe for a quick swipe at Brian.  Brian attempted to parry-and-dodge, but the force of Death's scythe against his sword caused him to drop the sword from his hands.  Brian's arms began to shake when Death leaned his cruel face over his unarmed body.  He believed that Death, literally, would soon be taking him.     

     Alcander decided that it was time he returned Brian's favor from when he and the rest of the party first entered the Castle.  With every ounce of muscle in his body, Alcander delivered a powerful strike into Death's scythe arm; but his blow was not powerful enough to sever Death's arm, however, it was powerful enough to force Death to release the scythe.  

     Noticing the dropped scythe, Lysander attempted to secure it for his own advantages, but a quick snap of Death's hand returned the scythe back to its master.  Death tossed the scythe into the air and moved its hands around like a circle.  The blade remained at Death's chest, also twirling in a circle.  Finally Death pushed its hands forward and the blade attacked the party on its own.  Christian raised a crucifix, but the scythe's blade cut the holy object in two, and almost severed Christian's hand.

     "Holy shit!" screeched Christian, as he threw the remains of the crucifix away.  The party fell back against the Castle wall, and Christian checked his hand to make sure all his fingers were still intact.

     "What are we going to do?" exclaimed a frightened Brian.  "That scythe has us trapped!"

     "Calm down Brian," replied Lysander.  "If we lose our train of thought in this Castle we'll never leave this place alive."

     "Oh my God, the scythe's coming back!" Alcander shouted.

     Brian rotated his eyes to watch the death blade slowly creep upon him.  Sweat poured from his forehead, but he uttered no cry, for he was too scared to do so; but his instincts told him to ready his sword as a possible defense to Death's blade.

    Christian took notice of what Brian was doing and told his cousins, "Sander!  Cander!  Use your swords as a shield against Death's blade.  Perhaps it will deflect it."  

     Lysander and Alcander followed their cousin's request, and raised their blades as a shield.  When Death's scythe connected with Lysander, Alcander, and Brian's swords it delivered such a powerful blow that it sent the three leaning further into the wall.  Sweat began to drip into their eyes, burning them, but with their lives on the line they simply tried to blink the pain away.

     Although their swords were not enough to reflect the scythe they were powerful enough to slow it down.  Christian, who was capable of delivering a strong attack, cracked his whip into the scythe's blade.  The blow was powerful enough to knock the scythe back, and free Lysander, Alcander, and Brian from its wrath.

     "What?!" exclaimed Death, unable to believe that Christian's blow caused him to lose control of the scythe.  This momentary distraction allowed Christian the opportunity to throw an entire bottle of holy water at Death.  The monster screeched when its body came in contact with some of the blessed water that sizzled his robes.  With its weapon out of reach, Christian removed a piece of the Host and charged at the monster, stamping the Host against the monster's forehead.  Death shrieked as the Host burned its bones like acid.  Finally, Death succumbed to the point where Christian had the opportunity to place the Host into its mouth.  The power of the Eucharist reduced the once might beast known as Death to a pile of sulfurous ashes.

     Christian breathed a sigh of relief before facing everyone in his party.  "Is everyone all right?"

     "Yes," they replied unanimously, while pouring water into their eyes to remove the burn brought by their own sweat.

     "Good.  I'm glad nobody was hurt, because our next battle is with the monster himself.  But before we challenge Vlad Tepes, I want to say an intercessory prayer to St. Michael.  Please say the prayer with me."  Everyone in the party nodded as Christian led them in prayer.  After the prayer concluded they closed with the Sign of the Cross.  Christian turned to Brian and said, "Brian, open the final door please."

     Brian nodded, and slowly pulled back on the door to Dracula's lair.  The door led to a long flight of stairs, but there was still some light that came through the windows.  Unfortunately, it was moonlight.  "Everyone," began Christian, "may your faith not waver in this battle, because you're facing Dracula when he's at his strongest."     


	14. Time to be killing the Dragon again!

New Generation

Chapter XIV

_Is it the end my friend?  
Satan's coming 'round the bend.  
People running because they're scared.  
The people better go and beware.  
No!  No!  Please God No!_-

"Black Sabbath"-Black Sabbath

     The Castle's ancient staircase echoed with every step taken by the party members.  Along the walls were red tapestries of Wallachia's seal and Dracula's insignia, the Dragon.

     Finally at the top of the stairs the party encountered the heavy iron door that when opened would reveal Dracula's chambers.  Christian, Lysander, Alcander, and Brian all gave the Sign of the Cross, drew their weapons, and with their free hands pushed the heavy iron door open.    Although their weapons were drawn for the possibility of an attack by The Impaler they only found him reclining on his ancient throne, with one leg extended over the armrest.  Dracula did not even appear to notice them until they marched closer to his throne.  Vlad Tepes appeared to them as he had been described throughout history.  He was tall and lean with cold dark eyes and dark hair.  Both Lysander and Alcander thought that Dracula showed a strong resemblance to their father, except that Adrian had blonde hair over Dracula's dark hair.

     "Welcome!" Dracula exclaimed, rising from his throne.  "So nice of all of you to make the journey.  Lets see…who do we have here?"  Dracula rotated his eyes to every member of the party.  Beginning with Brian and ending with Alcander he addressed members of the party individually.  "Interesting, the young man whose blood was the final piece of the puzzle to my resurrection has decided to join you."

     "And I've come to redeem myself on that foolish mistake!" Brian declared.

     "Really?  Just remember one thing, my boy.  Not all the servants of God receive His blessing in times of need.

     Christian!  How much you have grown!  You were just a squabbling little boy the last time I saw you.  Crying everyday for your mother if I remember correctly."

     "I won't be crying once I strike this whip into your skull!" he declared.

     Dracula lowered his eyes and said, "A 'strike' where you will not be successful.

     Lysander!  Although your parents should've given you a warrior's name like 'Alexander,' you were here as well sixteen years ago as well."

     "So my cousin tells me," Lysander responded.

     Dracula chuckled.  "Well, of course you wouldn't remember anything, you were too busy searching for your mother's nipple, but you were here nevertheless.

     And Alcander, you weren't here.  No, you weren't a thought yet.  But I did see you once.  Twelve years ago, it's been.  I was wandering through the streets of your village when I came across your parents' house.  I levitated to a window that appeared to be a nursery, and there you were sleeping in your tiny crib.  Eventually your eyes locked with mine, you screamed in fear, and I departed from the scene."

     "I could really care less if you saw me as a baby!" Alcander responded.  "I'm a grown man now…

     "Grown man!" Dracula said with laughter.  "You're all nothing but 'boys' in my eyes."

     "Whatever," replied Alcander, "I could care less about how you look at us.  All I want to know is where's Jessica?"

     "Jessica?  I'm sorry, I'm afraid I don't know who you're talking about."

     "Stop with the bullshit, Vlad Tepes!  You know damn well who I'm talking about!"

     Now Dracula roared.  "Now, now, my boy.  That's no way to talk to your grandfather."

     "Shut up with that 'grandfather' bullshit!  You're so far down the line that it's not even worth calling you 'grandfather!'"

     "So far down the line?  Really?  I guess my son didn't tell you very much about me."

     "We don't even know or care who your son is!" replied Lysander.

     "You know exactly who my son is.  My son is your father!"

     Lysander and Alcander did not respond to Dracula's statement.  The two brothers looked at each other in disbelief.  "Whhhat?" Lysander and Alcander said at almost the same time.

     Dracula chuckled at their confusion.  "It's true, but you obviously still don't believe me.  Well, I have something that will help your unbelief.  Although I usually hate them, I've been keeping a mirror in my chambers to observe some of my memories."  Dracula gestured his arm to a mirror that was placed near his throne.  "I want the two of you to see this piece of our family history from my memories."

     Dracula gestured his arm across the mirror.  Although his arm cast no reflection in the glass an image did appear to take shape inside the mirror, and it was not a reflection of the current state of the Castle.  The party members, especially Lysander and Alcander, were interested in what the mirror had to show, but at the same time, all four of them kept an ever watchful eye on Vlad the Impaler just in case he decided to strike.

     The mirror showed the image of a beautiful blonde-haired petite woman wearing a bright red dress.  Her hair was shinning in the sun, and the rays of light from the sun allowed her hair to shine like gold.  Yet despite how beautiful she was, the woman appeared troubled.  

     The party members could tell that she was standing inside the Castle, because they were able to identify the room she was standing in, the Castle's library.    To Lysander and Alcander the woman looked identical to the portrait of the woman in their home that their father told them was their grandmother.

     "There you are my princess," the voice of Vlad the Implaer called from the other side of the room.  

     Christian, Lysander, and Alcander knew that Dracula rarely walked the earth during the day, so this date must have meant some kind of significance to him.

     "My Prince," responded the woman, as she embraced him.

     The cruel Vlad the Impaler showed his tender side by stroking his fingers through the woman's hair.  "Lisa," he began tenderly, "you look troubled.  Is something wrong?"

     _"Lisa?!" Lysander and Alcander said to themselves.  "Dad told us that, that was the name of his mother…our grandmother.  Is this for real, or is he just playing tricks on us?"_

     "Vlad," began Lisa, "why are you the way that you are?"

     "What do you mean?"

     "I mean, why are you cursed as being a cruel and heartless individual; yet you are so tender and loving to both me and our son?"

     "Because I'm not a cruel and heartless man.  I'm only viewed this way in the eyes of the Church, and in the eyes of God.  A God, who I'll remind you, turned His back on me!"

     Lisa took her husband by the hand, and gently massaged her other hand over Vlad Tepes's.  "But Prince Vlad, you now have Adrian and I here for you.  Doesn't that make you happy?"

     _"Adrian?!" Lysander and Alcander said again.  "Dad?"_

     "Of course, but…"

     "Wouldn't you like to live a life without this curse that has been placed upon you?"

     Dracula did not respond to that question, and the vision faded. 

     Smiling at Lysander and Alcander he replied, "Well?"

     "That doesn't prove anything!" exclaimed Lysander.

     "Nothing at all!" added his younger brother.  "How do we know that it's not a coincidence that you had a wife and son who bared the same name as our grandmother and father?"

     "Damn it Sander!  Cander!" Christian declared, jumping into the conversation.  "He's telling the truth!"

    Lysander and Alcander looked at each other as though they had seen a ghost.  "What?!" they shouted.

     "It's true," began Christian.  "Uncle Adrian told me that Vlad Tepes was his father.  My dad, my mom, and even your mom knew that your father was the son of Dracula."

     Dracula started chuckling, but Lysander and Alcander only ignored him.  "Why didn't anyone ever tell us?" demanded Lysander.

     "Because nobody wanted you to know.  I was never supposed to tell you either, but after all that I've seen I feel that you should no longer be left in the darkness."

     "That's right, Lysander and Alcander," Dracula told them, flashing them a smile that exposed his fangs.  "I'm your loving grandfather, and because I'm your grandfather I'm going to give you the chance to walk out of here alive.  All you have to do is follow me and I shall lead you to all truth and enlightenment."

     "Keep your forked tongue on the other side of your teeth!" exclaimed Lysander.  Dracula blinked in surprise, and actually took a step back, at his grandson's statement.  "You're far from being our 'loving grandfather.'  You tried to kill our mother, our father, our aunt, and our uncle!"

     "We care more for our parents and the other members of our family, who have cared for us since we were little, long before we would ever give a damn about you!" exclaimed Alcander.

     Dracula sneered at his grandsons' words.  His bright red lips curled, exposing his fangs.  "Very well then.  I gave you the chance of aiding me and you refused.  Now you wish to fight me, all of you?!  You're nothing but children as far as I'm concerned, but I never had a problem murdering children during my breathing days if it was to advance my cause and I don't have a problem doing the same act again, even if my flesh and blood are involved!"  Dracula's eyes turned bright red, and he crossed his arms in front of his face.  His body slowly began to transform into mist, but Christian, Lysander, Alcander, and Brian charged at Dracula with pieces of the Host.  Dracula screeched at the presence of the Host, but the party members also screamed when their arms came into the realm of Dracula's mist.  They felt as though someone had struck their arms with a hot poker.  Whatever it was that struck their arms succeeded in making them drop the Host, and in the dimly lit chamber they were unable to find any trace of it.  Although they no longer had access to the Host its power prevented Dracula from shape shifting.  

     Dracula snarled at the party before reaching into his cloak to unsheathe the Tepes family sword.  "You had best pray for your God's protection!" he told them with a sneer, before charging after Alcander.  Alcander parry-and-dodged the attack, but the force of Dracula's sword was incredible!  Alcander nearly lost his sword due to Dracula's power, and Dracula's strength was beginning to make his knees buckle.  Fortunately for Alcander, his older brother was there to help him out.  Lysander delivered a powerful blow into Dracula's arm.  Dracula snarled at the pain, and pushed Alcander away.  Dracula decided, instead, that Lysander should be the first to go, but before he could strike Lysander, Christian cracked Dracula in the skull with his whip, while Brian cut into Dracula's torso.  

     Dracula dropped his sword and fell back.  He had a large cut on his forehead from Christian's whip, along two other wounds on his arm and torso; but Vlad the Impaler was far from finished.    Dracula glared at the party members, and extended his arms as though he was a beggar, begging for food.  The party had no idea what Dracula was trying to do, so they braced themselves for an attack.  But Dracula did not attack them.  Instead, he only closed his palms, and when he did the party seemed to grow tired.  _"What's happening to me?" each one of them thought.  They were simply too tired to speak.  "I can barely keep my eyes open.  He's cast some sort of spell on us!"_  Dracula then opened his palms, facing the party, and return their energy back to them with such a powerful force that it knocked each one of them against the Castle wall.  

     Dracula seized at the opportunity to make a more physical attack by grabbing the throats of Lysander and Alcander.  Dracula hoisted his grandsons from the floor, and showed them his fangs.  Lysander and Alcander gasped for air in Dracula's grip, but Alcander was fortunate to have a free hand near his pocket that housed the rosary his mother had given him.  However, Dracula's powerful grip was having a terrible effect on his senses.  He had difficulty finding the rosary beads, and when he did find them they almost slipped from his hand, but fortunately two of the beads became trapped between one of his fingers.  Gasping for air, and feeling his eyelids become heavier, Alcander found the endurance to stamp the rosary beads and crucifix onto Dracula's hand.  The beads and crucifix burned his skin like acid, forcing him to release Alcander and his brother.  Lysander and Alcander gasped for air at their grandfather's feet, their necks covered with red splotches from Dracula's powerful grip.  Lysander was the first to recover from lack of oxygen as he helped pull his younger brother away from Vlad the Impaler, with Alcander using his rosary as a shield.  

     The back of Brian's head was in excruciating pain, and when Brian placed his hand on the back of his head to help ease the pain he noticed that his hand was covered with blood.  Blood that he feared might excite Dracula.  Although he was terrified of Prince Vlad's power he was going to face his fear.  Pulling himself up by his sword, Brian attempted another charge against Vlad the Impaler since he was caught off guard from the effects of Alcander's rosary.  Dracula was weakened, and had the charred imprint of the rosary beads and cross on his hand; but he was also aware of Brian's charge.   Sidestepping Brian out of the way, Dracula pushed him into the Castle wall.  Brian's body bounced off the wall similar to a bullet, but fortunately the wall did not strike the back of his head.  Dracula retrieved his sword and pointed the blade in the direction of Brian's throat.  The grip on Brian's sword was covered with sweat, but he was going to be brave and make another attempt against the Prince, even if it proved to be his last.  Brian swung his sword with all his might, but Vlad Tepes parry-and-dodged the attack with such force Brian lost the grip on his blade.  Without a sword he was at Vlad Tepes's mercy, and he knew that Vlad would show him none; but then Brian remembered what Christian said about faith.  _"It's more powerful than your blade," were the words that Brian remembered._  Brian raised his crucifix, and Dracula turned away.  Gathering his courage, Brian stepped forward holding the crucifix and recited the Doxology.  The prayer, along with the crucifix, increased Vlad Tepes hatred for God.  Thoughts of his first wife's suicide and Lisa's murder returned his mind.  _"And He brought on all of it!" he said to himself._   Hastily, Dracula rotated his body so that he faced both Brian and the crucifix.  The blood colored eyes that Vlad Tepes displayed terrified Brian to the point that he started to gasp the Doxology.  Flashing his fangs, he snarled at the crucifix, and watched it burst into flames.  Brian tossed the crucifix away, and fell to his knees in fear.  "Stupid Jesus trinket!" snarled Dracula, as he stepped closer to Brian. "I told you that God would not protect you!"  But Dracula's comment was met by the quick snap of Christian's whip against his back.  

     The vampire snarled at the blow and turned to Christian.  He stared at Christian and prepared to make an attack, but that decision would prove to be his downfall.  Distracted by Christian, Vlad was unaware of the Renard sword that pierced his heart, wielded by his youngest grandson, Alcander. 

     Dracula fell to the ground, coughing up blood, and attempting to remove the blade from his heart, while Lysander, his other grandson, stood over him holding his father's sword.  Lysander removed the rosary his mother gave him, and wrapped it around his wrist.  "Grandpa, God is on our side," and observing the blood stains on his father's sword along with the touch of the rosary beads around his wrist added; "and so is Mom and Dad!" before severing the head of Vlad the Impaler.             


	15. The angels and saints rejoice!

New Generation

Chapter XV

_The dragon is dead!_-

"Killing the Dragon"(Live)-Ronnie James Dio

     Dracula's severed head bounced off the Castle floor leaving behind a trail of its vampiric blood.  Disgusted by the sight of a severed head rolling on the floor, Brian turned away and vomited.  The rest of the party remained calm until they noticed that the lips of Vlad the Impaler's were still moving, even after his head was severed.  Disgusted at the sight, Christian, Lysander, and Alcander turned away and vomited; the three would not turn around until they were certain that Dracula's lips could move no more.

     With its master dead Castle Dracula could no longer survive, and the walls of the Castle began to rumble like an earthquake.  The party members were still trying to regain their composure after vomiting, but the rumble that was around them increased their awareness that they were in trouble.  

     "What's going on?" Brian asked, still in a weakened state.

     "The Castle's beginning to crumble," Christian responded, though he too was still weak after vomiting.  His first instinct was to escape the Castle with his companions, but his memory informed him that Dracula always seemed to return from wicked men finding his body parts.  Praying that such an event would never happen again, Christian grabbed a pair of torches from the wall and placed them over Dracula's head and severed corpse.  With Dracula's remains slowly becoming engulfed in the fire, Christian turned to his fellow party members and said,  "We've got to get out of here now!"

     "Hold it!" exclaimed Alcander, who along with the rest of the party members had recovered from vomiting.  "Nobody's going anywhere!  Jessica's still somewhere inside Castle!"

     "Alcander, we checked every room!  She's not here!" replied his older brother, while the rumbling continued to grow.

     "Damn it Sander, you don't know that!  One of Dracula's minions may have hidden her somewhere else!"

     "Well, if they did then perhaps we'll see her on the way down!" responded Christian.

     "For God's sake isn't anyone listening…" but Alcander's statement was cut short when he lost his balance due to the tremors on the Castle floor. 

     "Shit!" Christian exclaimed, as he helped Alcander back to his feet.  "The floors are beginning to break away, we have to move now!"

     Everyone in the party nodded.  Everyone accept Alcander.  "Isn't anyone listening to me?!  Jessica is still somewhere inside the Castle!"

     "Look Cander," began Christian, "we don't have time to argue about this!  Either we get out now, or we'll all be killed!  If Jessica's inside the Castle we'll find her on the way down."  Alcander reluctantly agreed, and the party dashed from the throne room with the corpse of Dracula burning brightly into the night. 

     After Dracula's defeat his minions ceased into being.  Every door in the Castle was open, and Alcander and the rest of the party searched all of them.  Some of the rooms contained treasure, which every member of the party took a small handful of.  Unfortunately the ultimate treasure, especially in Alcander's eyes, Jessica, was not there.

     When the party finally reached the Castle's exit the upper floors of had already given way, but the party was going to escape unharmed.  However, at the Castle's base, Alcander appeared apprehensive to leave.  His eyes were wandering around the grand hall, looking for another door that simply did not exist.  In the end his older brother tackled him out the Castle door, and the party escaped to a hill and watched the remains of the Castle crumble under the moonlight.  Christian, Lysander, and Brian were all full of smiles, while Alcander was full of silence.  Lysander, taking notice of his younger brother's sorrow, stood beside him.  Tears sprinkled from Alcander's eyes, and Lysander placed his hand on his shoulder and said to him, "Cander, we searched every room in the Castle.  She wasn't there.  We didn't do anything wrong."

     "How do you know, Sander?" he asked with a raspy voice, while wiping away a tear.

     "Because, Cander, we would've found her." 

     Alcander said nothing.  He simply turned away.  Lysander responded to his brother's grief by kneeling beside him.  "Cander, listen to me.  I searched that place with just as much determination as you did.  She simply wasn't there, and we're lucky because of that."

     "How are we lucky?" Alcander replied coldly, feeling that his brother wasn't showing any compassion for Jessica.

     "Because she's at home with her parents."

     "And how do you know that Sander?"

     "Because I now believe that she was never in the Castle, that's how!"

     Alcander sighed, and placed his hand on his forehead.

     "Look, Cander, we did everything that we could to rescue her.  We searched every single room while the Castle was crumbling.  We risked our own lives doing so.  How many people do you think would've done the same thing?"

     Alcander said nothing, but he knew that there wouldn't have been many others besides maybe his parents, aunt, and uncle that would've put out the effort that he, his brother, his cousin, and Brian did.  

     "Only those who really, really try," continued Lysander.  "Nobody can blame us if we failed.  Not our parents, our aunt and uncle, or even Jessica's parents.  We did everything that we could!"

     Alcander gazed at his brother.  His eyes were still filled with water, but he was no longer crying.  Lysander had made some valid points.  He and everyone else in the party endangered their own lives to search those extra rooms for the possibility that Jessica may have been trapped in one of them.  "You're right Sander," he replied standing up, with his voice starting to become normal again.  "I'll take your words to heart, and I won't give up on hope that Jessica is safe in our village."

     Lysander smiled at his little brother.  "That's good.  Speaking of our village, I can't wait to go home!"

     "Neither can I!" exclaimed Christian.

     "Same here," added Brian, who was busy wrapping a bandage around his head to seal off infection to his wound.

     "And Brian," Christian began, turning his attention to him; "you'll be returning home a hero.  In case anyone actually heard about your part in Dracula's return I'm sure you'll be absolved once they hear about your courageous effort to defeat him."

     "I hope so Christian."

     "I don't think hope is necessary in this case.  I 'know' so," Christian added with a smile.

     Brian returned the smile and said, "Thank you, Christian." 

     "No, Brian, thank yourself.  For it was you, and you alone, who stood up to one of the most feared men in the world; and it was you, who refused to cower in his presence."  Christian paused for a moment to turn to everyone in his party and said, "Thank you, everyone.  And if you would please, I would like for you to pray with me." Christian led the party in prayer.  He thanked God for their victory, and for the prayers of those in Heaven who assisted.

*

     When the party finally returned to the village at the summit of Castle Dracula a few hours later a crowd greeted them with admiration that Adrian Tepes and Richter Belmont received twelve years before.  With the Castle gone, their fears of vampires and creatures of the night vanished with it.  Everyone in the community wanted to buy the vampire slayers drinks at the local bar, including the bartender, but Alcander told them that he would join them later.

     "What's with him?" Brian asked Lysander.

     "You overheard our conversation at the Castle ruins, right?"

     "Yes.  Regarding Jessica, right?"

     "Right.  Although Cander believes that we did everything humanly possible he may still have a sense of guilt.  Sometimes it's best to leave that person alone.  Besides, I saw Cander go to a place were he can be at peace for a while."

     "Where's that?"

     "The village church.  Alcander's not exactly the church type, but he does believe in a God who will answer his prayers."

*

     Inside the parish church, Alcander knelt in prayer.  He often fixed his eyes upon the large icon of the resurrection and spoke the prayer, _"Lord, my brother tells me that I did everything I could to protect Jessica, but I'm still wondering if I did enough?  Of course, I can't exactly go back and change time.  What's done is done, and there's nothing I can do about it.  My uncle often talks about the statement 'not as I will, but as you will' and I guess I will just have to leave it at that, because there's simply nothing else I can do.  All I ask of you Lord is that when Sander and I return to the village is that Jessica will be there waiting for us.  With the prayers of Mary and all the saints we ask this through you, Christ, Our Lord.  Amen."_       


	16. Lysander meets his girl once again

New Generation

Chapter XVI

_Sing loud for the sunshine.  
Pray hard for the rain.  
And show your love for lady nature.  
And she will come back again_-

"Down By the Seaside"-Led Zeppelin

     "Oh, God, it's too early," yawned Lysander, as he pulled a blanket over his face to protect it from the sunlight.  Last night was truly a night of celebration.  The entire town catered the party with smokes and spirits in the tavern.  Despite free drinks most of the party ceased drinking at a reasonable time, but not Lysander.  He continued to drink until nearly four in the morning, and his body was suffering from the side effects of too much partying.  His body twitched from the affects alcohol, and all he wanted to do was to remain in bed until the poisons left his body.  _"Maybe this is why Dad is so much against heavy drinking?"_   Lysander tried to sleep it off, but the knock on his door informed him that sleep would not be an option.  _"Probably just a maid," he said to himself._   "I'm still sleeping.  Come back in a few hours."

     "Sander, wake up!"

     "Damn it Cander!  Leave me alone, it's too early!" he exclaimed in a quiet, but firm voice

     "Sander, it's Noon, Christian's preparing to leave!"

     "Noon?" he asked with his blood-shot eyes blinking in surprise.

     "Yes, that's what I said."

     "Oh, shit," Lysander murmured under his breath.

     "Damn it Sander, open the door!"

     "All right, Cander!  Quit your bitching!"  Lysander let out a groan as he removed the blankets from his body.  _"Damn, it's cold in here," he said to himself, while walking to the door._

     "Damn Sander!" Alcander exclaimed after Lysander opened the door for him.  Lysander's arms twitched slightly, and his eyes were all blood shot.  "How much did you drink last night?"

     "I don't know.  I was up till four in the morning, I know that much."

     "I wonder what Mom and Dad would say?" Alcander remarked with a grin.

     "How 'bout you don't tell them so they won't say anything?"

     Alcander laughed.  "All right then, but I can't promise you that Christian won't say anything."

     "He won't if I ask him not to."

     "So you hope?"

     "Yeah, so I hope," Lysander added with a grin, before his expression changed.

     "Sander, what is it?  What's wrong?"

     Lysander placed a hand over his stomach and winced.  "Cander get out of here!" he yelled, before charging to the washroom.

     Alcander laughed at his older brother, but he would encounter him about ten minutes later.  Lysander appeared much better when Alcander asked him with a broad grin on his face, "I hope everything came out all right."

     "I've never felt better," Lysander replied, returning the grin.

     The two brothers shared a laugh, before Alcander said, "Well, if the washroom is still safe for humans to enter you might consider taking a bath."

     "Why, I don't smell that bad?  Besides, I took one a few days ago."

     "Yeah, but we're about to go to the village that Dana lives in.  Don't you want to look nice and handsome for her?" grinned Alcander.

     "Whatever," Lysander replied, trying to act un-interested by Alcander's words.

     Alcander chuckled.  "Well, I just thought I would tell you that while you were gone I told Christian about your condition.  He laughed, of course, but promised me that he wouldn't tell Mom and Dad because he said that he had been hung over before as well.  He said that he would wait around here for a while so you could recover, but that he wouldn't too long.  He wants to set out to the next village no more than two hours from now."

     Lysander nodded.  "All right, Cander.  Tell Christian, that I'll be ready."

     "All right, I will."

     "Thanks, and Cander?"

     "Yes?"

     "Well, I hate to change the subject on you, but how are you feeling today?"

     "What do you mean?" Alcander asked, almost confused by Lysander's question.

     "Well, you know, after the incident in the Castle with Jessica and all…"

     "Lysander, I took your words to heart.  We searched everywhere and she just wasn't there, and I should be glad that she wasn't there, because she's hopefully safe and sound with her parents.  …To tell you the truth though Sander, part of me wanted her to be there.  I could've played the hero and all, like a knight in shinning armor."

     Lysander turned away, chuckling.  "Cander, that's got to be about the stupidest thing I've ever heard you say.  It makes me think about when we were little and Mom and Dad would play those games with us where one of us got to play the role of the hero."

     Alcander sighed.  "Yeah, I guess you're right.  But there's one thing that is on my mind."

     "What's that?"

     "Well, it's the stuff that Dracula told us, that our Dad is his son.  What does that make us?"

     "Christian already answered that for us, Cander.  Uncle Richter gave Dad a blessing to free his body completely of any trance of vampiric blood, and that we were conceived long after this blessing.  We're not vampires Cander."

     "Yeah, I know, but I still want to talk to Dad about it.  About why he didn't tell us."

     "He was probably afraid that we'd tell a stranger.  You're known for telling people things that you shouldn't probably tell," smiled Lysander.

     "Oh, shut up, Sander!  Go take your bath to impress Dana!  I think I'll join Christian and Brian in the bar."

     The two brothers laughed at each other for a while, before Alcander joined Christian and Brian in the bar and Lysander decided to sneak his way into the washroom, even though he gave no indication to Alcander that he was going to take a bath.  _"You never know Sander," he said while scrubbing his arms, "you might just want to look your best when you see Dana again.  I wonder if she'll pay that much attention to the marks on my neck?  Probably not. When I looked in the mirror I could barely see the splotches.  They probably won't even be visible at all when we arrive in Dana's village."_       

*

     The sun had already set beneath the clouds by the time that the party arrived in the village.  Unlike their previous visit the citizens were enjoying their nightlife again, since they no longer feared the presence of the Castle, but unlike the last village, no one recognized them.  "I'm surprised that no one's here to buy us drinks like the last village," said Brian.  "After all, we did defeat Vlad the Impaler didn't we?"

     "That we did," replied Christian, "but we don't need to reap the spoils all the time.  Sometimes it's best not to be noticed.  Lets just check into the inn, and have ourselves a few drinks."

     "Sounds good to me," responded Brian.

     "Me too," replied Alcander.

     "Yeah, same here," added Lysander.

     While the four men were galloping on their horses to the village inn Lysander's eyes captured the sight of a young woman putting items into a knapsack.  Her long hair and petite figure revealed her identity.  "Dana!" Lysander exclaimed.

     The young woman gasped at the sound of Lysander's voice.  She immediately turned around to face Lysander with her bright blue eyes.  Indeed, it was Dana, and her face glowed for Lysander under the light of the moon.  "Lysander!  You're back!" she exclaimed with joy, but then she stopped to observe Alcander, Christian, and Brian.  "All of you are back!"

     Lysander smiled.  "Yes, all of us are back, although I said we would be, didn't I?"

     Dana giggled.  "No, not exactly, but you sound so sweet the way that you say it."

     Everybody in the party laughed at Lysander, but Lysander ignored them and continued to smile at Dana.  "So, what's with the knapsack?"

     "I'm leaving."

     "Leaving where?"

     "The village."

     "Where are you going?"

     Dana looked to the ground and said, "I-I'm not sure.  I just want to go someplace different."

     Lysander dismounted his horse and pulled on the reigns as he walked closer to Dana.  "You know, it's not safe for a woman to travel alone."

     "But I'm not traveling alone."

     "Oh, really?" he asked with a hint of sarcasm.

     "Yes.  Would you like to meet my companion?"

     "…Sure," Lysander replied, although he was hoping that the green-eyed monster of jealousy wouldn't cast its spell on him.  Although Lysander could not exactly call Dana 'his' he did not want to see another man at her side.

     Dana reached into her knapsack and pulled out a small revolver.  "This is my companion," she said, displaying the gun and flashing a flirtatious smile for Lysander; "it'll protect me quite nicely."

     Everyone in the party laughed, except Lysander.  He smiled at Dana, but when he spoke to her again his tone became serious.  "Dana, if you want to travel, would you like to accompany us for a while?  We're not exactly leaving the country, although I've had desires to do so, but we're going farther than your village.  Even with your companion," pointing to the gun, "it will still be a lonely road to travel on by yourself.  Why not accompany us for the rest of our journey?"

     Dana smiled, a bright smile that illuminated her blue eyes for Lysander.  "I'd love to Lysander.  When do we leave?"

     "Tomorrow morning, right Christian?" Lysander asked, turning around to ask his cousin.

     "Yes."

     "All right," replied Dana with eyes only for Lysander.

     Lysander kept his brown eyes on Dana's blue eyes and said, "Until then, we don't you join us in the bar?  This is our celebration time and we'd like to celebrate with you!"

     "Absolutely," Alcander interjected; "just make sure that Lysander doesn't celebrate too much!"

     "What?  What does that mean?" Dana asked confused, turning away from Lysander to look at his younger brother.

     Lysander shot Alcander a look, but Alcander only smirked.   
  



	17. Homecoming for brave souls

New Generation

Chapter XVII

_I felt the coldness of my winter.  
I never thought it would ever go.  
I curse the gloom that set upon us,  
but I know that I love you so.  
But I know that I love you so.  
These are the seasons of emotion,  
and like the winds they rise and fall.  
This is the wonder of devotion  
I see the torch we all must hold.  
This is the mystery of the quotient.  
Above us all a little rain must fall-  
_ "The Rain Song"-Led Zeppelin_  
  
_

     The time was three in the morning, but Alcander was unable to sleep.  His mind drifted from thought to thought.  _"In a few days I guess we'll be home again.  I have to admit, I do miss sleeping in my own bed, but this has been an incredible adventure.  Thank God all of us lived through it though.  We risked our lives facing a monster that turned out to be our grandfather.  I wonder what Dad will say when Sander and I bring it up?  Speaking of Sander, I guess that Mom and Dad will have to meet Dana, because I think she'll be in Sander's life for a while; or at least she sure sounds like it, because I think that's her moaning on the other side of the walls.  Of course, Dana wants to travel.  Will Sander go with her?  Probably.  Sander, after all, said to Jessica and me that he was tired of our village that has never changed for centuries.  Jessica.  That's a name that keeps coming back into my mind.  I realize that I did everything I could to save her, and that when I come home she'll be there.  But will she be there?  How do I know something else didn't happen to her?  I guess this is just one of those things that you have to leave in God's hands._

*

     At noon the party set out for home.  Dana rode beside Lysander, but Lysander confided to Alcander that he wished Dana would have left her horse at the inn's stable and rode with him.  To which Alcander replied, "From what I hear it seems like you 'ride her' every night.  I'd quit your bitching if I was you."  

     A few days later Christian, Lysander, Alcander, and Brian returned to their hometown.

     "So this is where all of you live?" asked Dana.

     "Yes, this our village.  Hasn't changed a day for probably the last five hundred years," responded Lysander.

     "Must get pretty boring."

     "I know.  That's why I've considered traveling to other lands.  After the adventure I've had I don't think anything can scare me."

     The party continued on a steady gallop until they were spotted by some of their fellow citizens.  "Welcome home!" one of them declared, as he nodded his head in respect to the party.  "We learned through other members of our community that you had set off to destroy the Castle.  We were filled with joy when we woke up a few days ago to see it no longer present in our lives."

     "Yes," Christian replied, "both the Castle and its master are no more!"

     Shortly after Christian completed his sentence another member of their village came to offer thanks to the party.  Eventually villager after villager joined in praising the four young heroes.  Dana was in awe over the respect Lysander, Alcander, Christian, and Brian were receiving.  Here they are not even twenty, save Christian, and the citizens of their village are treating them like royalty.

    "We shall prepare a great feast for all of you," echoed one villager.  "Please come to the square this evening!"

     "Thank you," replied Christian; "and we will certainly be there, but for right now we'd like to get back to our families."

     "Understandable, Mr. Belmont, but please come by the tavern this evening.  We'll serve the drinks!"

    "Thank you, we will."

     The party arrived first at Brian's house.  Christian turned to him and smiled.  "Well, Brian is it good to be home?"

     "Yes, it is," he said, mirroring Christian's smile.  "But at the same time, everything seems so much different."

     "I think that's because you grew up some on this journey.  It's not everyday that a 15 year old goes one on one with Vlad the Impaler."

     Brian laughed.  "No, that's certainly true."

     "Shall we see you in the bar this evening?"

     "Yes."

     "Good, I'm sure it will be a great time."

     "Take care Brian," Lysander, Alcander, and Dana said simultaneously.

     After Brian left the party Christian turned to his two cousins and asked, "So how would you describe your view of Brian now that our journey has concluded?"

     "I think I've grown to respect him more than I ever did at the start of the journey," Alcander said.

     "I'm with Cander on that," added Lysander.

     "Good.  He's not a bad person, but he did need some growing up.  Of course, he got a really quick course into it."  After Christian completed his sentence his horse came to a complete stop.

     "What is it Christian?" asked Lysander.

     "I think I'm going to turn home.  I want to visit my parents and sister first, then I'll come by and visit Uncle Adrian and Aunt Maria."

     "Say hello to everyone for us," added Alcander.

     "Don't worry, I will."  Lysander, Alcander, and Dana waved goodbye to Christian as he galloped away from them.  

          After Christian left the party Alcander said to his brother, "Sander, I want to go to Jessica's first.  Tell Mom and Dad that I'm safe and that I'll see them soon, but I just have to visit her parents.  I can't help but wonder if she's all right."

     Lysander nodded.  "I understand, Cander.  Would you like me to come with you?"

     "No, that's all right.  I'll talk to them myself."

     "Very well then," Lysander replied, as he and Dana galloped toward the Tepes residence.  

     "Lysander," began Dana, "who's this Jessica that your brother's talking about?"

     "Someone who Cander has a crush on.  We were afraid though that she was trapped in Dracula's Castle, but we never found her, even after intense searching.  I don't believe that she ever was there, and I think Cander finally came to the conclusion that she wasn't either."

     "So where do you think that she was?"

     "Hopefully, she's at home with her parents, but…"

     "Yes?"

     "Well, I would be worried if she wasn't.  That's why I offered Cander if he wanted me to go with him."

     "Well, maybe you still should."

     "No, I trust my brother when he said that he could handle it.  Besides, if Jessica is home I'm sure that he would like to have the privilege of being alone with her."  He paused to look at Dana and smile, "Besides, I've got you to worry about now." 

     Dana giggled and replied, "You didn't seem too worried those last couple of nights at the inns about anything."

     "No, I'm not worried about anything right now," Lysander said leaning over his horse to kiss Dana.

*

     Alcander took two deep breaths before knocking on the Sage's front door.  Jessica's father answered the door and exclaimed, "You're alive!"

     Alcander was relieved that Jessica's father was so calm.  "Yes, I'm alive, but I'm sorry."

     "About what?"

     "That I wasn't able to find Jessica.  We, my companions and I, searched everywhere in the Castle, but we simply couldn't find her."

     "Well, why would you?"

     "Huh?"

     "Jessica was never in the Castle to start with.  She's right here with us…Oh, that's right, I forgot!"

     "Huh?"

     "I remember the last time you were here that I thought maybe that Dracula captured her.  Well, he didn't, which is a good thing.  She…oh, why don't I just have her tell you?  Jessica!"

     "Yes, Daddy?" Jessica said, as she charged down the stairs.  She was wearing a beautiful red dress similar to the dress that Alcander saw his grandmother wear in the mirror at Dracula's Castle.  Jessica's face became radiant when she noticed that Alcander was standing in her doorway.  "Alcander!  You're alive!"  She charged Alcander and embraced him, and Alcander responded by lifting her off the ground to spin her around.  Jessica giggled at Alcander's embrace, and also for the fact that she made him blush.  "Your green eyes and blonde hair really stand out when your cheeks turn red," she said, teasing him while she ran her fingers through his hair.

     "Jessica," her father began, "this young man believed that you were being held by Vlad Tepes, and he risked his life searching for you in his Castle.  Along with defeating him as well, I take it?"

     "Yes, although it was my brother, Lysander, who actually delivered the final blow."

     "Well, I'd be interested in hearing your story, but I told you that Jessica would tell you exactly what happened to her that night.  So Jessica if you would please."

     "Yes, Daddy."  She cupped Alcander's hands into hers and said, "Alcander, please follow me into the forest."  Alcander smiled, and allowed Jessica to lead him into the forest doing his best not to have Jessica's father notice that he was staring at her backside.

     When they entered the forest Alcander and Jessica sat down on a large rock.  The two continued to hold hands when Alcander asked her, "So what happened that night Jessica?"

     "I had trouble sleeping that night, and I decided to go for a walk.  I had to be very quiet because I didn't want to wake my parents, but I thought that I almost did when I accidentally knocked the icon off the wall in my bedroom.  Perhaps I shouldn't have entered the woods after dark.  My parents always told me not to, but I did so anyway.  I was sitting on this very rock when a cloud of fog suddenly appeared.  It was an extremely thick cloud of fog.  I never saw fog that was so thick, but the fog wasn't able to cover the moon, and it was through the moonlight that I saw the towers of Castle Dracula.  I had never seen the Castle before, but I knew where it was located and where it could be seen from our village.  I was terrified, and didn't know what to do.  I was afraid that Dracula was close, and that he would capture me and drink my blood.  I could barely see to make it back to my parents house, so I went to another place that I knew was safe."

     "Where's that?"

     "Did you know that there's a convent in these woods?"

     "Yes."

     "That's where I went.  I don't know how many times I crossed myself, or how many prayers I said because I believed that they were my only means of protection.  I pounded on the convent door, and the sisters let me in.  They were in constant prayer, because they too had seen the Castle.  I stayed with them until sometime in the afternoon.  It was after I returned home that I learned that you and your brother had been here and that you thought I'd been kidnapped by Dracula."

     "There were signs that made us wonder.  The icon on the floor was certainly one of them."

     "Well, I wasn't, but I was so worried."

     "About Vlad Tepes?"

     "No, about you.  You and your brother, but I was a little more worried about you."

     "Why?"

     "Well, I thought that you went into Dracula's Castle mostly to save me."

     "Well, you were a factor on our minds, but we had actually been training our whole lives to possibly face Vlad the Impaler.  That's why Dad made Sander and me do all those exercises after school."

     "I realize that now."

     "Jessica?"

     "Yes?"

     "Why were you a little more worried about me?"

     "Well, umm, how can I say this?  I kind of liked you a little bit more than your brother."

     "Really?!"

     Jessica giggled while she motioned a well-manicured hand through Alcander's hair.  "Yes, really.  But I'm so glad that you're safe."

     "Thank you, I'm glad that you're safe as well," Alcander added as he motioned his fingers through Jessica's shinny curls.  Jessica smiled, just before Alcander leaned forward and locked his lips with hers.  He massaged her arms and said, "Would you mind if I stopped by and saw you later this evening?"

     "No."

     "No?"

     "No, I don't want you to stop by later this evening because I want to spend the rest of the day with you."

*

     Alcander approached his house with Jessica at his side.  Lysander and Dana were obviously inside when Alcander opened the front door to let himself in.  Once Maria noticed her that youngest son had returned home, she immediately embraced him.  Alcander loved his mother's warmth, but he also felt slightly embarrassed with his mother hugging him as though he were still a baby with Jessica standing at his side.  She said nothing, however, only laughed, and Alcander introduced her to his mother.

     "Looks like both my boys have a girl on their arm," she said with a smile.

     "Both?" asked Jessica.

     "Yeah, Sander has a girl with him that he met along our journey to Castle Dracula," Alcander told her.

     "Oh, well, I'll have to meet her."

     "She's in the sitting room conversing with your father," Maria said to Alcander.  "I'm sure your Dad can't…"

     "Alcander?" Adrian said, jumping into the conversation.

     "Yes?"

     Adrian smiled, and stepped forward to hug his youngest son.  Now Alcander was really embarrassed, but again, Jessica just smiled.  "Pleasure to meet you Miss Sage," Adrian said to her.

     "Same to you, Mr. Tepes."

     "Alcander, why don't you direct this beautiful young woman into our sitting room?  Lysander and Dana are already present.  But, you'll need to excuse yourself from her.  I need to talk to you in private.  There's something regarding our history that I'm sure you want to know about?"

     "Yes, Dad, there is, thanks."

     "Well, I'm going to tell you everything that you want to know."

The End

+ Cody +  

     So there you have it!  If anybody has an idea for a sequel please send your thoughts to cody.hayes@sbcglobal.net 


End file.
